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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 10, 2015
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM S-4
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Warren Resources, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
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Maryland (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | | 1311 (Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) | | 11-3024080 (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
1114 Avenue of the Americas, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10036
(212) 697-9660
(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)
Saema Somalya
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
1114 Avenue of the Americas, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10036
(212) 697-9660
(Name, Address, including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
Alan Baden
Thompson & Knight LLP
333 Clay Street, Suite 3300
Houston, Texas 77002
(713) 654-8111
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale of the securities to the public:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If the securities being registered on this Form are being offered in connection with the formation of a holding company and there is compliance with General Instruction G, check the following box o
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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Large accelerated filer o | | Accelerated filer ý | | Non-accelerated filer o (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | | Smaller reporting company o |
If applicable, place an X in the box to designate the appropriate rule provision relied upon in conducting this transaction:
Exchange Act Rule 13e-4(i) (Cross-Border Issue Tender Offer) o
Exchange Act Rule 14d-1(d) (Cross-Border Third-Party Tender Offer) o
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Title of each class of securities to be registered
| | Amount to be registered
| | Amount of registration fee(1)
|
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9.00% Senior Notes due 2022 | | $230,410,000 | | $26,774 |
|
Guarantees of 9.00% Senior Notes due 2022(2) | | | | None(3) |
|
- (1)
- Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(f)(2) under the Securities Act of 1933.
- (2)
- Warren E&P, Inc., Warren Resources of California, Inc. and Warren Marcellus LLC will guarantee the notes being registered.
- (3)
- Pursuant to Rule 457(n) of the Securities Act of 1933, no registration fee is required for the registration of the guarantees.
Each registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
TABLE OF ADDITIONAL REGISTRANT GUARANTORS
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Exact Name of Registrant Guarantor(1) | | State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Formation | | Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number | | IRS Employer Identification Number |
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Warren E&P, Inc. | | New Mexico | | | 1311 | | 85-0224052 |
Warren Resources of California, Inc. | | California | | | 1311 | | 33-0980072 |
Warren Marcellus LLC | | Delaware | | | 1311 | | 47-1370150 |
- (1)
- The address for each Registrant Guarantor is 1114 Avenue of the Americas, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10036, and the telephone number for each Registrant Guarantor is (212) 697-9660.
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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offering is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JUNE 10, 2015
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
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Warren Resources, Inc.
Offer to Exchange
Up to $230,410,000 Principal Amount of
9.00% Senior Notes due 2022
That Have Not Been Registered Under
The Securities Act of 1933
For
Up to $230,410,000 Principal Amount of
9.00% Senior Notes due 2022
That Have Been Registered Under
The Securities Act of 1933
Terms of the New 9.00% Senior Notes due 2022 in the Exchange Offer:
- •
- The terms of the new notes are identical to the terms of the old notes that were issued on August 11, 2014, except that the new notes will be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and will not contain restrictions on transfer, registration rights or provisions for additional interest.
Terms of the Exchange Offer
- •
- We are offering to exchange up to $230,410,000 principal amount of our old notes for new notes with materially identical terms that have been registered under the Securities Act and are freely tradable.
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- We will exchange all old notes that you validly tender and do not validly withdraw before the exchange offer expires for an equal principal amount of new notes.
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- The exchange offer expires at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on , 2015, unless extended.
- •
- Tenders of old notes may be withdrawn at any time prior to the expiration of the exchange offer.
- •
- The exchange of new notes for old notes will not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
You should carefully consider the risks set forth under "Risk Factors" beginning on page 7 of this prospectus for a discussion of factors you should consider before participating in the exchange offer.
Each broker-dealer that receives new notes for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such new notes. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of new notes received in exchange for old notes where such old notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities. Please read "Plan of Distribution."
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2015
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). In making your investment decision, you should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in the accompanying letter of transmittal. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any other information. We are not making an offer to sell these securities or soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making that offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, or in the documents incorporated by reference herein, is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus or the date of such incorporated documents, as the case may be.
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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS | | | ii | |
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY | | | 1 | |
RISK FACTORS | | | 7 | |
EXCHANGE OFFER | | | 16 | |
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS | | | 23 | |
USE OF PROCEEDS | | | 24 | |
DESCRIPTION OF NOTES | | | 25 | |
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION | | | 90 | |
MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS | | | 91 | |
LEGAL MATTERS | | | 97 | |
EXPERTS | | | 97 | |
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION | | | 98 | |
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL | | | L-1 | |
In this prospectus, we refer to the notes to be issued in the exchange offer as the "new notes," and we refer to the $230,410,000 principal amount of our 9.00% senior notes due 2022 issued on August 11, 2014 as the "old notes." We refer to the new notes and the old notes collectively as the "notes." In this prospectus, references to the "issuer" refer to Warren Resources, Inc., a Maryland corporation. Unless indicated otherwise, references to "Warren," "Warren Resources," the "Company," "we," "our" and "us" refer to Warren Resources, Inc. and its subsidiaries. References to "guarantors" refer to Warren's subsidiaries that guarantee amounts outstanding on the notes on a joint and several basis and any future restricted subsidiaries that guarantee the notes on a joint and several basis.
This prospectus incorporates important business and financial information about us that is not included or delivered with this prospectus. Such information is available without charge to holders of old notes upon written or oral request made to Warren Resources, Inc., 1114 Avenue of the Americas, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10036, Attention: Corporate Secretary (Telephone (212) 697-9660). To obtain timely delivery of any requested information, holders of old notes must make any request no later than five business days prior to the expiration of the exchange offer.
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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The statements contained in this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference into this prospectus that are not historical are "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
These forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:
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- our ability to successfully and economically acquire, explore, develop and produce oil and natural gas resources;
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- our ability to obtain governmental and other permits and approvals;
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- the actual or potential impact of environmental and other governmental regulation;
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- our exploration and development drilling prospects, inventories, projects and programs;
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- our oil and natural gas reserve estimates;
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- volatility in commodity prices and market conditions for oil and natural gas;
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- our liquidity and ability to finance our acquisition, exploration and development operations and activities;
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- our future production, revenue, operating costs and results of operations;
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- the cost and availability of experienced labor;
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- our business and growth strategies;
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- our identified drilling locations;
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- availability and costs of drilling rigs, equipment and field services;
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- our ability to make and integrate acquisitions; and
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- our ability to effectively manage our expanded operations, including our most recently acquired area of operation in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania.
Forward-looking statements are typically identified by use of terms such as "may," "will," "could," "should," "expect," "plan," "project," "intend," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "pursue," "target" or "continue," the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology, although some forward-looking statements may be expressed differently.
The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference into this prospectus are largely based on our expectations, which reflect estimates and assumptions made by our management. These estimates and assumptions reflect our best judgment based on currently known market conditions and other factors. Although we believe such estimates and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently uncertain and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that are beyond our control. In addition, management's assumptions about future events may prove to be inaccurate. Management cautions all readers that the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference into this prospectus are not guarantees of future performance, and we cannot assure any reader that such statements will be realized or the forward-looking events and circumstances will occur. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including:
- •
- commodity price volatility;
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- domestic and worldwide economic conditions;
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- potential adverse changes in general economic conditions, including performance of financial markets, interest rates and unemployment rates;
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- unsuccessful drilling or operating activities;
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- the inability to develop our reserves through exploration and development activities;
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- potential impact of environmental and other governmental regulation, including delays in obtaining governmental and other permits and approvals, and impacts on competing energy sources as well as on natural gas;
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- possible legislative or regulatory changes, including severance or production tax regimes, hydraulic-fracturing regulation, additional drilling and permitting regulations, oil and natural gas derivatives reform, changes in state, federal and foreign income taxes, environmental regulation (including with respect to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions), environmental risks and liability under federal, state, foreign and local environmental and other laws and regulations;
- •
- the failure to obtain sufficient capital resources to fund our operations;
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- our ability to repay our debt;
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- the extent to which natural gas markets in the United States become integrated with global natural gas markets through the approval and development of infrastructure supporting the export of liquefied and other natural gas;
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- a decline in oil or natural gas production;
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- changes in the localized and global supply and demand fundamentals of natural gas and oil and transportation availability;
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- incorrect estimates of reserve quantities, operating costs and capital expenditures;
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- increases in the cost of drilling, completion and gas gathering or other costs of production and operations;
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- hazardous and risky drilling operations; and
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- an inability to grow.
You should also consider carefully the statements under "Risk Factors" included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, which address additional factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus. We do not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. These cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf.
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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights some of the information contained in this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that may be important to you. You should read this entire prospectus and the documents to which we refer you to before making an investment decision. You should carefully consider the information set forth under "Risk Factors" beginning on page 7 of this prospectus, the other cautionary statements described in this prospectus and the risk factors described under the heading "Risk Factors" included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus. In addition, certain statements include forward looking information that involves risks and uncertainties. See "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements." The estimates of our proved reserves as of December 31, 2014 included in this prospectus are based on the reserve report prepared for Warren by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc., independent petroleum engineers, a summary of which report is filed as an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, and incorporated herein by reference.
Our Company
We are an independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development and production of domestic onshore crude oil and gas reserves. We focus our efforts primarily on the development of our waterflood oil recovery properties in the Wilmington field within the Los Angeles Basin of California, the drilling and development of natural gas reserves within the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, and the exploration and development of coalbed methane ("CBM") properties located in the Rocky Mountain region.
As of March 31, 2015, we owned natural gas and oil leasehold interests in approximately 113,307 gross (84,240 net) acres, approximately 70% of which are undeveloped. Substantially all our undeveloped acreage is located in the Rocky Mountains. We have identified approximately 140 gross drilling locations in our Wilmington field units. Additionally, we have identified approximately 140 gross drilling locations on our acreage in the Rocky Mountains, primarily on 80-acre well spacing and 74 gross drilling locations in the Marcellus Shale.
As of December 31, 2014, we had estimated net proved reserves of 71.3 MMBoe, with a PV-10 Value of $609 million, based on a reserve report prepared by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. These estimated net proved reserves include 16.8 MMBbls in our Wilmington units (24%), 212 Bcf in our Marcellus shale field in Pennsylvania (50%) and 114 Bcfe primarily in our CBM program in the Washakie Basin (26%). These estimated net proved reserves are located on approximately 30% of our total net acreage.
Corporate Information
Our common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, is traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the trading symbol "WRES". The Company was incorporated on June 12, 1990 as a Delaware corporation for the purpose of acquiring and developing oil & gas properties. In 2004, the Company was reincorporated as a Maryland corporation.
Our executive offices are located at 1114 Avenue of the Americas, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10036, and our telephone number is (212) 697-9660. Our website is www.warrenresources.com. Information on our website is not part of this prospectus. For additional information about our business, properties and financial condition, please refer to the documents cited in "Where You Can Find More Information."
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The Exchange Offer
On August 11, 2014, we completed a private offering of $300,000,000 principal amount of the old notes. We entered into a registration rights agreement with the initial purchasers in connection with the offering in which we agreed to deliver to you this prospectus and to use commercially reasonable efforts to consummate the exchange offer for the old notes. On May 22, 2015, we entered into a new Credit Agreement (the "Credit Agreement") pursuant to which, among other things, certain of the lenders exchanged approximately $69,590,000 principal amount of the old notes at a discount for first lien term loans. As a result, we are offering to exchange up to $230,410,000 principal amount of our old notes for new notes with materially identical terms that have been registered under the Securities Act and are freely tradeable.
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Exchange Offer | | We are offering to exchange new notes for old notes. |
Expiration Date | | The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on , 2015, unless we decide to extend it. |
Condition to the Exchange Offer | | The registration rights agreement does not require us to accept old notes for exchange if the exchange offer, or the making of any exchange by a holder of the old notes, would violate any applicable law or interpretation of the staff of the SEC. The exchange offer is not conditioned on a minimum aggregate principal amount of old notes being tendered. |
Procedures for Tendering Old Notes | | To participate in the exchange offer, you must follow the procedures established by The Depository Trust Company, which we call "DTC," for tendering notes held in book-entry form. These procedures, which we call "ATOP," require that (i) the exchange agent receive, prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer, a computer generated message known as an "agent's message" that is transmitted through DTC's automated tender offer program, and (ii) DTC confirms that: |
| | • DTC has received your instructions to exchange your notes, and |
| | • you agree to be bound by the terms of the letter of transmittal. |
| | For more information on tendering your old notes, please refer to the section in this prospectus entitled "Exchange Offer—Terms of the Exchange Offer," "—Procedures for Tendering," and "Description of Notes—Book Entry; Delivery and Form." |
Guaranteed Delivery Procedures | | None. |
Withdrawal of Tenders | | You may withdraw your tender of old notes at any time prior to the expiration date. To withdraw, you must submit a notice of withdrawal to the exchange agent using ATOP procedures before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the exchange offer. Please refer to the section in this prospectus entitled "Exchange Offer—Withdrawal of Tenders." |
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Acceptance of Old Notes and Delivery of New Notes | | If you fulfill all conditions required for proper acceptance of old notes, we will accept any and all old notes that you properly tender in the exchange offer before 5:00 p.m. New York City time on the expiration date. We will return any old note that we do not accept for exchange to you without expense promptly after the expiration date and acceptance of the old notes for exchange. Please refer to the section in this prospectus entitled "Exchange Offer—Terms of the Exchange Offer." |
Fees and Expenses | | We will bear expenses related to the exchange offer. Please refer to the section in this prospectus entitled "Exchange Offer—Fees and Expenses." |
Use of Proceeds | | The issuance of the new notes will not provide us with any new proceeds. We are making this exchange offer solely to satisfy our obligations under our registration rights agreement. |
Consequences of Failure to Exchange Old Notes | | If you do not exchange your old notes in this exchange offer, you will no longer be able to require us to register the old notes under the Securities Act, except in the limited circumstances provided under the registration rights agreement. In addition, you will not be able to resell, offer to resell or otherwise transfer the old notes unless we have registered the old notes under the Securities Act, or unless you resell, offer to resell or otherwise transfer them under an exemption from the registration requirements of, or in a transaction not subject to, the Securities Act. |
U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations | | The exchange of new notes for old notes in the exchange offer will not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Please read "Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations." |
Exchange Agent | | We have appointed U.S. Bank National Association as exchange agent for the exchange offer. You can find the address, telephone number and fax number of the exchange agent under the caption "The Exchange Offer—Exchange Agent." |
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Terms of the New Notes
The new notes will be identical to the old notes except that the new notes are registered under the Securities Act and will not have restrictions on transfer, registration rights or provisions for additional interest. The new notes will evidence the same debt as the old notes, and the same indenture will govern the new notes and the old notes.
The following summary contains basic information about the new notes and is not intended to be complete. It does not contain all information that may be important to you. For a more complete understanding of the new notes, please refer to the section entitled "Description of Notes" in this prospectus.
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Issuer | | Warren Resources, Inc. |
Notes offered | | $230,410,000 aggregate principal amount of 9.00% Senior Notes due 2022. |
Maturity date | | August 1, 2022. |
Interest | | Interest on the notes will be paid semi-annually in arrears on February 1 and August 1 of each year, with interest accruing from August 11, 2014. Interest on each new note will accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was paid on the old note tendered in exchange thereof, or, if no interest has been paid on the old note, from the date of the original issue of the old note. |
Interest payment dates | | February 1 and August 1 of each year. |
Optional redemption | | The new notes will be redeemable at our option, in whole or in part, at any time on or after August 1, 2017, at the redemption prices listed under "Description of Notes—Optional Redemption", together with accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption. |
| | At any time prior to August 1, 2017, we may redeem up to 35% of the original principal amount of the new notes with the proceeds of certain equity offerings at a redemption price of 109.000% of the principal amount of the notes, together with accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption. |
| | At any time prior to August 1, 2017, we may also redeem some or all of the new notes at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes, plus a "make-whole premium" described under "Description of Notes—Optional Redemption," plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption. |
Change of control offer | | Upon the occurrence of specific kinds of changes of control, you will have the right, as holders of the new notes, to cause us to repurchase some or all of your notes at 101% of their face amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the repurchase date. See "Description of Notes—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control." |
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Asset disposition offer | | If we or our restricted subsidiaries sell assets, under certain circumstances, we will be required to use the net proceeds to make an offer to purchase new notes at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount of the new notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the repurchase date. See "Description of Notes—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales." |
Note guarantees | | The new notes will be jointly and severally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by all of our existing and future direct and indirect subsidiaries that guarantee our indebtedness under our credit facility or our other indebtedness or indebtedness of the subsidiary guarantors. Under certain circumstances, subsidiary guarantors may be released from their note guarantees without the consent of the holders of notes. See "Description of Notes—Note Guarantees." |
| | For the three months ended March 31, 2015, our non-guarantor subsidiaries generated less than 5% of our total revenues, less than 1% of our income (loss) from operations and less than 5% of our Adjusted EBITDA. As of March 31, 2015, our non-guarantor subsidiaries represented less than 1% of our total assets and represented less than 1% of total liabilities, including trade payables but excluding intercompany liabilities. |
Ranking | | Like the old notes, the new notes and the related guarantees will be our and our subsidiary guarantors' senior unsecured obligations and will: |
| | • rank senior in right of payment to all of our and the subsidiary guarantors' future subordinated indebtedness; |
| | • rank equally in right of payment with all of our and the subsidiary guarantors' existing and future senior indebtedness; |
| | • be effectively subordinated to any of our and the subsidiary guarantors' existing and future secured debt, to the extent of the value of the assets securing such debt; and |
| | • be structurally subordinated to all of the existing and future liabilities (including trade payables) of each of our subsidiaries that do not guarantee the notes. |
| | As of March 31, 2015, we and our subsidiaries had $153.7 million in borrowings outstanding under our credit facility. Any borrowings under the credit facility will be secured, and as a result, effectively senior to the new notes and the guarantees of the new notes by the guarantors, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing that indebtedness. |
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| | As of March 31, 2015, our non-guarantor subsidiaries had aggregate liabilities of approximately $0.1 million (including trade payables), all of which is structurally senior to the new notes. |
Covenants | | We will issue the new notes under an indenture, dated as of August 11, 2014, with U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. The indenture, among other things, limits our ability and the ability of our restricted subsidiaries to: |
| | • incur additional indebtedness and guarantee indebtedness; |
| | • pay dividends or make other distributions or repurchase or redeem our capital stock; |
| | • prepay, redeem or repurchase certain debt; |
| | • issue certain preferred stock or similar equity securities; |
| | • make loans and investments; |
| | • sell assets; |
| | • incur liens; |
| | • enter into transactions with affiliates; |
| | • enter into agreements restricting our subsidiaries' ability to pay dividends; and |
| | • consolidate, merge or sell all or substantially all of our assets. |
| | These covenants are subject to a number of important exceptions and qualifications. At any time that the new notes are rated investment grade, certain covenants will be suspended with respect to the notes. For more details, see "Description of Notes—Certain Covenants." |
Absence of a public market for the new notes | | The new notes generally will be freely transferable, but will also be new securities for which there will not initially be a market. There can be no assurance as to the development or liquidity of any market for the new notes. We do not intend to apply for a listing of the new notes on any securities exchange or any automated dealer quotation system. |
Risk factors | | Investing in the new notes involves risks. See "Risk Factors" beginning on page 7 for a discussion of certain factors you should consider in evaluating whether or not to tender your old notes. |
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RISK FACTORS
An investment in the notes involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding to tender your old notes in the exchange offer, you should carefully consider the risks described below, together with the risk factors incorporated by reference herein from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, and all of the information contained in this prospectus and in the documents incorporated herein by reference. This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference also contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. If any of those risks actually occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations would suffer. In that event, our ability to fulfill our obligations under the notes could be materially adversely affected, and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risks discussed below also include forward-looking statements and our actual results may differ substantially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. See "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements."
Risks Relating to the Notes
If you do not properly tender your old notes, you will continue to hold unregistered old notes and your ability to transfer old notes will remain restricted and may be adversely affected.
We will only issue new notes in exchange for old notes that you timely and properly tender. Therefore, you should allow sufficient time to ensure timely delivery of the old notes, and you should carefully follow the instructions on how to tender your old notes. Neither we nor the exchange agent is required to tell you of any defects or irregularities with respect to your tender of old notes.
If you do not exchange your old notes for new notes pursuant to the exchange offer, the old notes you hold will continue to be subject to the existing transfer restrictions. In general, you may not offer or sell the old notes except under an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. We do not plan to register the old notes under the Securities Act unless our registration rights agreement with the initial purchasers of the old notes require us to do so. Further, if you continue to hold any old notes after the exchange offer is consummated, you may have trouble selling them because there will be fewer of the old notes outstanding.
Our substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition and prevent us from fulfilling our obligations under the notes.
We have a significant amount of debt. As of March 31, 2015, including the notes, our convertible debentures and borrowings under our previous credit facility, our total debt was approximately $455.4 million, and we were able to incur up to $71.3 million of additional secured debt under our credit facility. On May 22, 2015, we entered into the new Credit Agreement that provides us with a five-year, $250 million term loan facility. Pursuant to the new Credit Agreement, certain of the lenders extended credit in the form of new term loans in the amount of $172.5 million and in the form of commitments for delayed draw term loans for up to an additional $30 million, subject to certain incurrence tests. In addition, certain of the lenders exchanged approximately $69.6 million principal amount of the old notes at a discount for approximately $47.2 million of first lien term loans. After the funding of the new credit facility in May 2015, including the notes, our convertible debentures and borrowings under our new credit facility, our total debt was approximately $451.8 million, and we were able to incur up to $30 million of additional secured debt under the credit facility.
Subject to the limits contained in the credit agreement governing our credit facility, the indenture that governs the notes and our other debt instruments, we may be able to incur substantial additional debt from time to time to finance working capital, capital expenditures, investments or acquisitions, or for other purposes. If we do so, the risks related to our high level of debt could intensify. Specifically,
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our high level of debt could have important consequences to the holders of the notes, including the following:
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- making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to the notes and our other debt;
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- limiting our ability to obtain additional financing to fund future working capital, capital expenditures, our drilling program, purchases of new technology, acquisitions or other general corporate requirements;
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- requiring a substantial portion of our cash flows to be dedicated to debt service payments instead of other purposes, thereby reducing the amount of cash flows available for working capital, capital expenditures, our drilling program, purchases of new technology, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
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- increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;
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- exposing us to the risk of increased interest rates as certain of our borrowings, including borrowings under the credit facility, are at variable rates of interest;
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- limiting our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in the industry in which we compete;
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- placing us at a disadvantage compared to other, less leveraged competitors; and
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- increasing our cost of borrowing.
In addition, the indenture that governs the notes and the credit agreement governing our credit facility contain restrictive covenants that limit our ability to engage in activities that may be in our long-term best interest. Our failure to comply with those covenants could result in an event of default which, if not cured or waived, could result in the acceleration of all our debt.
We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness, including the notes, and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness, which may not be successful.
Our ability to make scheduled payments on or refinance our debt obligations, including the notes, depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which are subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business, legislative, regulatory and other factors beyond our control. We may be unable to maintain a level of cash flows from operating activities sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness, including the notes.
If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we could face substantial liquidity problems and could be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures or to dispose of material assets or operations, seek additional debt or equity capital or restructure or refinance our indebtedness, including the notes. We may not be able to effect any such alternative measures, if necessary, on commercially reasonable terms or at all and, even if successful, those alternative actions may not allow us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations. The Credit Agreement governing the credit facility and the indenture that governs the notes restricts our ability to dispose of assets and use the proceeds from those dispositions and may also restrict our ability to raise debt or equity capital to be used to repay other indebtedness when it becomes due. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions or to obtain proceeds in an amount sufficient to meet any debt service obligations then due. See "Description of Notes."
In addition, we conduct a significant portion of our operations through our subsidiaries, certain of which will not be guarantors of the notes or our other indebtedness. Accordingly, repayment of our indebtedness, including the notes, is dependent on the generation of cash flow by our subsidiaries and
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their ability to make such cash available to us, by dividend, debt repayment or otherwise. Unless they are guarantors of the notes or our other indebtedness, our subsidiaries do not have any obligation to pay amounts due on the notes or our other indebtedness or to make funds available for that purpose. Our subsidiaries may not be able to, or may not be permitted to, make distributions to enable us to make payments in respect of our indebtedness, including the notes. Each subsidiary is a distinct legal entity, and, under certain circumstances, legal and contractual restrictions may limit our ability to obtain cash from our subsidiaries. While the indenture that governs the notes and the credit agreement governing the credit facility limits the ability of our subsidiaries to incur consensual restrictions on their ability to pay dividends or make other intercompany payments to us, these limitations are subject to qualifications and exceptions. In the event that we do not receive distributions from our subsidiaries, we may be unable to make required principal and interest payments on our indebtedness, including the notes.
Our inability to generate sufficient cash flows to satisfy our debt obligations, or to refinance our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms or at all, would materially and adversely affect our financial position and results of operations and our ability to satisfy our obligations under the notes.
If we cannot make scheduled payments on our debt, we will be in default and holders of the notes could declare all outstanding principal and interest to be due and payable, the lenders under the credit facility could terminate their commitments to loan money, the lenders could foreclose against the assets securing their borrowings and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation. All of these events could result in your losing your investment in the notes.
Despite our current level of indebtedness, we and our subsidiaries may still be able to incur substantially more debt. This could further exacerbate the risks to our financial condition described above, and we may have difficulty obtaining additional credit.
We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur significant additional indebtedness in the future. Although the indenture that governs the notes and the credit agreement governing our credit facility contain restrictions on the incurrence of additional indebtedness, these restrictions are subject to a number of qualifications and exceptions, and the additional indebtedness incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial. If we incur any additional indebtedness that ranks equally with the notes, subject to collateral arrangements, the holders of that debt will be entitled to share ratably with you in any proceeds distributed in connection with any insolvency, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or other winding up of our company. This may have the effect of reducing the amount of proceeds paid to you. These restrictions also will not prevent us from incurring obligations that do not constitute indebtedness. All of those borrowings would be secured indebtedness. If new debt is added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we and the subsidiary guarantors now face could intensify. See "Description of Notes."
The terms of our credit facility and the indenture that governs the notes restrict our current and future operations, particularly our ability to respond to changes or to take certain actions.
The indenture that governs the notes offered hereby and the credit agreement governing our credit facility contain a number of restrictive covenants that impose significant operating and financial restrictions on us and may limit our ability to engage in acts that may be in our long-term best interest, including restrictions on our ability to:
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- incur additional indebtedness and guarantee indebtedness;
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- pay dividends or make other distributions or repurchase or redeem capital stock;
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- prepay, redeem or repurchase certain debt;
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- issue certain preferred stock or similar equity securities;
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- make loans and investments;
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- sell assets;
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- incur liens;
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- enter into transactions with affiliates;
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- alter the businesses we conduct;
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- enter into agreements restricting our subsidiaries' ability to pay dividends; and
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- consolidate, merge or sell all or substantially all of our assets.
In addition, we will depend on the credit facility for a portion of our future capital needs. As of the closing of the new Credit Agreement, the Company had $219.7 million outstanding under our credit facility and availability of $30 million.
The credit facility contains affirmative and negative covenants, including the following financial maintenance covenant: during the period beginning with the 18 month anniversary of the closing date of the Credit Agreement governing the credit facility, the ratio of first lien total debt as of the end of any fiscal quarter to EBITDAX for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on such date shall not be greater than 5.5 to 1.0 during the period until the 24 month anniversary of the closing date of the Credit Agreement and shall not be greater than 5.0 to 1.0 thereafter.
In addition to those described above, other factors may impair our ability to comply with the covenants. Any failure to be in compliance with any material provision or covenant of the credit facility could result in a default, which could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, results of operations and financial condition. At certain oil and natural gas price levels, our current cost structure, inclusive of our current plans, may exceed the costs required to operate profitably. Our ability to comply with these restrictions and covenants in the future is uncertain and will be affected by the levels of cash flow from our operations and events or circumstances beyond our control.
Our credit facility is secured by a pledge of substantially all of our producing oil and natural gas properties and assets, is guaranteed by many of our subsidiaries, and contains covenants that limit additional borrowings, dividends to nonpreferred shareholders, the incurrence of liens, investments, sales or pledges of assets, changes in control, repurchases or redemptions for cash of our common or preferred stock, speculative commodity transactions and other matters. We may not be able to refinance our debt or obtain additional financing, particularly in view of the credit facility's restrictions on our ability to incur additional debt, and the fact that substantially all of our assets are currently pledged to secure obligations under the credit facility.
A breach of the covenants or restrictions under the indenture that governs the notes or under the credit agreement governing our credit facility could result in an event of default under the applicable agreement. Such a default may allow the creditors to accelerate the related debt and may result in the acceleration of any other debt to which a cross-acceleration or cross default provision applies. In addition, an event of default under the credit agreement governing our credit facility would permit the lenders under our credit facility to terminate all commitments to extend further credit under that facility. Furthermore, if we were unable to repay the amounts due and payable under our credit facility, those lenders could proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure that indebtedness. In the event our lenders or noteholders accelerate the repayment of our borrowings, we and our subsidiaries may not have sufficient assets to repay that indebtedness. As a result of these restrictions, we may be:
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- limited in how we conduct our business;
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- unable to raise additional debt or equity financing to operate during general economic or business downturns; or
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- unable to compete effectively or to take advantage of new business opportunities.
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These restrictions may affect our ability to grow in accordance with our strategy. In addition, our financial results, our substantial indebtedness and our credit ratings could adversely affect the availability and terms of our financing. We may be required to incur additional debt in order to fund our exploration and development activities. A higher level of indebtedness increases the risk that we may default on our debt obligations. Our ability to meet our debt obligations and reduce our level of indebtedness depends on future performance. General economic conditions, oil and natural gas prices and financial, business and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, may negatively affect our operations and our future performance.
Our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk, which could cause our debt service obligations to increase significantly.
Borrowings under our credit facility are at variable rates of interest and expose us to interest rate risk. If interest rates were to increase, our debt service obligations on the variable rate indebtedness would increase even though the amount borrowed remained the same, and our net income and cash flows, including cash available for servicing our indebtedness, will correspondingly decrease. As of March 31, 2015, assuming all loans are fully drawn ($250 million), each one percent change in interest rates would result in a $2.5 million change in annual interest expense on our indebtedness under our credit facility. Currently, we do not maintain any interest rate swaps on our variable rate indebtedness. In the future, we may enter into interest rate swaps that involve the exchange of floating for fixed rate interest payments in order to reduce interest rate volatility. However, we may not maintain interest rate swaps with respect to all of our variable rate indebtedness, and any swaps we enter into may not fully mitigate our interest rate risk.
The notes will be effectively subordinated to our and our subsidiary guarantors' indebtedness under the credit facility, the convertible secured debentures and any other secured indebtedness of our company to the extent of the value of the property securing that indebtedness.
The notes will not be secured by any of our or our subsidiary guarantors' assets. As a result, the notes and the guarantees will be effectively subordinated to our and our subsidiary guarantors' indebtedness under the credit facility, our convertible secured debentures and our other secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the property securing with respect to the assets that secure that indebtedness. Our credit facility is secured by a pledge of substantially all of our producing oil and natural gas properties and assets. Furthermore, we may incur additional secured debt in the future. The effect of this subordination is that upon a default in payment on, or the acceleration of, any of our secured indebtedness, or in the event of bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, dissolution or reorganization of our company or the subsidiary guarantors, the proceeds from the sale of assets securing our secured indebtedness will be available to pay obligations on the notes only after all indebtedness under the credit facility and that other secured debt has been paid in full. As a result, the holders of the notes may receive less, ratably, than the holders of secured debt in the event of our or our subsidiary guarantors' bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, dissolution or reorganization.
The notes will be structurally subordinated to all obligations of our existing and future subsidiaries that are not and do not become guarantors of the notes.
The notes will be guaranteed by each of our existing and subsequently acquired or organized direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries that guarantee the credit facility or that, in the future, guarantee our other indebtedness or indebtedness of another subsidiary guarantor. Except for such subsidiary guarantors of the notes, our subsidiaries will have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to pay amounts due under the notes or to make any funds available to pay those amounts, whether by dividend, distribution, loan or other payment. The notes and guarantees will be structurally subordinated to all indebtedness and other obligations of any non-guarantor subsidiary such that in the
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event of insolvency, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or other winding up of any subsidiary that is not a guarantor, all of that subsidiary's creditors (including trade creditors) would be entitled to payment in full out of that subsidiary's assets before we would be entitled to any payment.
In addition, the indenture that governs the notes, subject to some limitations, permits these subsidiaries to incur additional indebtedness and does not contain any limitation on the amount of other liabilities, such as trade payables, that may be incurred by these subsidiaries.
For the three months ended March 31, 2015, our non-guarantor subsidiaries generated less than 5% of our total revenues, less than 1% of our income (loss) from operations and less than 5% of our Adjusted EBITDA. As of March 31, 2015, our non-guarantor subsidiaries represented less than 1% of our total assets and represented less than 1% of total liabilities, including trade payables but excluding intercompany liabilities.
In addition, our subsidiaries that provide, or will provide, note guarantees will be automatically released from those note guarantees upon the occurrence of certain events, including the following:
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- the designation of that subsidiary guarantor as an unrestricted subsidiary;
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- the release or discharge of any guarantee or indebtedness that resulted in the creation of the note guarantee of the notes by such subsidiary guarantor; or
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- the sale or other disposition, including the sale of substantially all the assets, of that subsidiary guarantor.
If any note guarantee is released, no holder of the notes will have a claim as a creditor against that subsidiary, and the indebtedness and other liabilities, including trade payables and preferred stock, if any, whether secured or unsecured, of that subsidiary will be effectively senior to the claim of any holders of the notes. See "Description of Notes—Subsidiary Guarantees."
We may not be able to repurchase the notes upon a change of control.
Upon the occurrence of specific kinds of change of control events, we will be required to offer to repurchase all outstanding notes at 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the purchase date. Additionally, under the credit facility, a change of control (as defined therein) constitutes an event of default that permits the lenders to accelerate the maturity of borrowings under the credit agreement and the commitments to lend would terminate. The source of funds for any purchase of the notes and repayment of borrowings under our credit facility would be our available cash or cash generated from our subsidiaries' operations or other sources, including borrowings, sales of assets or sales of equity. We may not be able to repurchase the notes upon a change of control because we may not have sufficient financial resources to purchase all of the debt securities that are tendered upon a change of control and repay our other indebtedness that will become due. If we fail to repurchase the notes in that circumstance, we will be in default under the indenture that governs the notes. We may require additional financing from third parties to fund any such purchases, and we may be unable to obtain financing on satisfactory terms or at all. Further, our ability to repurchase the notes may be limited by law. In order to avoid the obligations to repurchase the notes and events of default and potential breaches of the credit agreement governing our credit facility, we may have to avoid certain change of control transactions that would otherwise be beneficial to us.
In addition, certain important corporate events, such as leveraged recapitalizations, may not, under the indenture that governs the notes, constitute a "change of control" that would require us to repurchase the notes, even though those corporate events could increase the level of our indebtedness or otherwise adversely affect our capital structure, credit ratings or the value of the notes. See "Description of Notes—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control."
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The exercise by the holders of notes of their right to require us to repurchase the notes pursuant to a change of control offer could cause a default under the agreements governing our other indebtedness, including future agreements, even if the change of control itself does not, due to the financial effect of such repurchases on us. In the event a change of control offer is required to be made at a time when we are prohibited from purchasing notes, we could attempt to refinance the borrowings that contain such prohibitions. If we do not obtain a consent or repay those borrowings, we will remain prohibited from purchasing notes. In that case, our failure to purchase tendered notes would constitute an event of default under the indenture which could, in turn, constitute a default under our other indebtedness. Finally, our ability to pay cash to the holders of notes upon a repurchase may be limited by our then existing financial resources.
Holders of the notes may not be able to determine when a change of control giving rise to their right to have the notes repurchased has occurred following a sale of "substantially all" of our assets.
One of the circumstances under which a change of control may occur is upon the sale or disposition of "all or substantially all" of our assets. There is no precise established definition of the phrase "substantially all" under applicable law and the interpretation of that phrase will likely depend upon particular facts and circumstances. Accordingly, the ability of a holder of notes to require us to repurchase its notes as a result of a sale of less than all our assets to another person may be uncertain.
Federal and state fraudulent transfer laws may permit a court to void the notes and/or the note guarantees, and if that occurs, you may not receive any payments on the notes.
Federal and state fraudulent transfer and conveyance statutes may apply to the issuance of the notes and the incurrence of the note guarantees of the notes. Under federal bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of state fraudulent transfer or conveyance laws, which may vary from state to state, the notes or the note guarantees thereof could be voided as a fraudulent transfer or conveyance if we or any of the subsidiary guarantors, as applicable, (a) issued the notes or incurred the note guarantees with the intent of hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors or (b) received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration in return for either issuing the notes or incurring the note guarantees and, in the case of (b) only, one of the following is also true at the time thereof:
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- we or any of the subsidiary guarantors, as applicable, were insolvent or rendered insolvent by reason of the issuance of the notes or the incurrence of the note guarantees;
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- the issuance of the notes or the incurrence of the note guarantees left us or any of the subsidiary guarantors, as applicable, with an unreasonably small amount of capital or assets to carry on the business;
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- we or any of the subsidiary guarantors intended to, or believed that we or such subsidiary guarantor would, incur debts beyond our or such subsidiary guarantor's ability to pay as they mature; or
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- we or any of the subsidiary guarantors were a defendant in an action for money damages, or had a judgment for money damages docketed against us or the subsidiary guarantor if, in either case, the judgment is unsatisfied after final judgment.
As a general matter, value is given for a transfer or an obligation if, in exchange for the transfer or obligation, property is transferred or a valid antecedent debt is secured or satisfied. A court would likely find that a subsidiary guarantor did not receive reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration for its note guarantee to the extent the subsidiary guarantor did not obtain a reasonably equivalent benefit directly or indirectly from the issuance of the notes.
We cannot be certain as to the standards a court would use to determine whether or not we or the subsidiary guarantors were insolvent at the relevant time or, regardless of the standard that a court
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uses, whether the notes or the note guarantees would be subordinated to our or any of our subsidiary guarantors' other debt. In general, however, a court would deem an entity insolvent if:
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- the sum of its debts, including contingent and unliquidated liabilities, was greater than the fair saleable value of all of its assets;
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- the present fair saleable value of its assets was less than the amount that would be required to pay its probable liability on its existing debts, including contingent liabilities, as they become absolute and mature; or
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- it could not pay its debts as they became due.
If a court were to find that the issuance of the notes or the incurrence of a note guarantee was a fraudulent transfer or conveyance, the court could void the payment obligations under the notes or that note guarantee, could subordinate the notes or that note guarantee to presently existing and future indebtedness of ours or of the related subsidiary guarantor or could require the holders of the notes to repay any amounts received with respect to that note guarantee. In the event of a finding that a fraudulent transfer or conveyance occurred, you may not receive any repayment on the notes. Further, the avoidance of the notes could result in an event of default with respect to our and our subsidiaries' other debt that could result in acceleration of that debt.
Finally, as a court of equity, the bankruptcy court may subordinate the claims in respect of the notes to other claims against us under the principle of equitable subordination if the court determines that (1) the holder of notes engaged in some type of inequitable conduct, (2) the inequitable conduct resulted in injury to our other creditors or conferred an unfair advantage upon the holders of notes and (3) equitable subordination is not inconsistent with the provisions of the bankruptcy code.
Your ability to transfer the notes may be limited by the absence of an active trading market and an active trading market may not develop for the notes.
The old notes have not been registered under the Securities Act, and may not be resold by holders thereof unless the old notes are subsequently registered or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act is available. However, we cannot assure you that, even following registration or exchange of the old notes for the new notes, an active trading market for the old notes or the new notes will exist, and we will have no obligation to create such a market. At the time of the private placements of the old notes, the initial purchasers advised us that they intended to make a market in the old notes and, if issued, the new notes. The initial purchasers are not obligated, however, to make a market in the old notes or the new notes and any market making may be discontinued at any time at their sole discretion. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of or trading market for the old notes or the new notes.
Therefore, an active market for the notes or the exchange notes may not develop or be maintained, which would adversely affect the market price and liquidity of the notes or the exchange notes. In that case, the holders of the notes or the exchange notes may not be able to sell their notes at a particular time or at a favorable price. If a trading market does develop, future trading prices of the notes may be volatile and depend on many factors, including:
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- the number of holders of notes;
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- prevailing interest rates;
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- our operating performance and financial condition;
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- the interest of securities dealers in making a market for them; and
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- the market for similar securities.
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Even if an active trading market for the notes or the exchange notes does develop, there is no guarantee that it will continue. Historically, the market for non-investment grade debt has been subject to severe disruptions that have caused substantial volatility in the prices of securities similar to the notes. The market, if any, for the notes may experience similar disruptions and any such disruptions may adversely affect the liquidity in that market or the prices at which you may sell your notes.
A lowering or withdrawal of the ratings assigned to our debt securities by rating agencies may increase our future borrowing costs and reduce our access to capital.
Our debt currently has a non-investment grade rating, and any rating assigned could be lowered or withdrawn entirely by a rating agency if, in that rating agency's judgment, future circumstances relating to the basis of the rating, such as adverse changes, so warrant. Consequently, real or anticipated changes in our credit ratings will generally affect the market value of the notes. Credit ratings are not recommendations to purchase, hold or sell the notes. Additionally, credit ratings may not reflect the potential effect of risks relating to the structure or marketing of the notes.
Any future lowering of our ratings likely would make it more difficult or more expensive for us to obtain additional debt financing. If any credit rating initially assigned to the notes is subsequently lowered or withdrawn for any reason, you may not be able to resell your notes without a substantial discount.
Many of the covenants contained in the indenture will be suspended if the notes are rated investment grade by either Standard & Poor's Ratings Services or Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
Many of the covenants in the indenture governing the notes will be suspended if the notes are rated investment grade by either Standard & Poor's Ratings Services or Moody's Investors Service, Inc., provided at such time no default under the indenture has occurred and is continuing. These covenants will restrict, among other things, our ability to pay dividends, to incur debt and to enter into certain other transactions. There can be no assurance that the notes will ever be rated investment grade, or that if they are rated investment grade, that the notes will maintain such ratings. However, suspension of these covenants would allow us to engage in certain transactions that would not be permitted while these covenants were in force. Please see "Description of Notes—Certain Covenants—Effectiveness of Covenants."
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EXCHANGE OFFER
Purpose and Effect of the Exchange Offer
At the closing of the offering of the old notes, we and the guarantors entered into a registration rights agreement with the initial purchasers pursuant to which we agreed, for the benefit of the holders of the old notes, at our cost, to use commercially reasonable efforts to file an exchange offer registration statement with the SEC with respect to the exchange offer for the new notes.
Upon the SEC's declaring the exchange offer registration statement effective, we agreed to offer the new notes in exchange for surrender of the old notes. We agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the exchange offer registration statement to become and remain effective until 180 days after the last acceptance date for any broker-dealer eligible to participate in the exchange, and to keep the exchange offer open to each participating broker-dealer for a period of at least 20 business days after the date we mail or make available the notice of the exchange offer to the noteholders.
For each old note surrendered to us pursuant to the exchange offer, the holder of such old note will receive a new note having a principal amount equal to that of the surrendered old note. Interest on each new note will accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was paid on the surrendered old note or, if no interest has been paid on the notes, from the closing date. The registration rights agreement also provides an agreement to include in the prospectus for the exchange offer certain information necessary to allow a broker-dealer who holds old notes that were acquired for its own account as a result of market-making activities or other ordinary course trading activities (other than old notes acquired directly from us or one of our affiliates) to exchange such old notes pursuant to the exchange offer and to satisfy the prospectus delivery requirements in connection with resales of new notes received by such broker-dealer in the exchange offer. We agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the exchange offer registration statement for these purposes for a period ending 180 days after the last acceptance date for any broker-dealer eligible to participate in the exchange.
The preceding agreement is needed because any broker-dealer who acquires old notes for its own account as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities is required to deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act. This prospectus covers the offer and sale of the new notes pursuant to the exchange offer and the resale of new notes received in the exchange offer by any broker-dealer who held old notes acquired for its own account as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, other than old notes acquired directly from us or one of our affiliates.
Based on interpretations by the staff of the SEC set forth in no-action letters issued to third parties, we believe that the new notes issued pursuant to the exchange offer would in general be freely tradable after the exchange offer without further registration under the Securities Act. However, any purchaser of old notes who is an "affiliate" of ours or who intends to participate in the exchange offer for the purpose of distributing the related new notes:
- •
- will not be able to rely on the interpretation of the staff of the SEC,
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- will not be able to tender its old notes in the exchange offer, and
- •
- must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any sale or transfer of the old notes unless such sale or transfer is made pursuant to an exemption from such requirements.
Each holder of old notes who desires to exchange old notes for the new notes in the exchange offer will be required to make the representations described below under "—Procedures for Tendering—Your Representations to Us."
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In the event that applicable interpretations of the staff of the SEC do not permit us to effect the exchange offer or if, for any other reason, we do not complete the exchange offer by August 6, 2015, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause to become effective a shelf registration statement relating to resales of the notes and to keep that shelf registration statement effective until the date that the notes cease to be "registrable securities" (as defined in the registration rights agreement), or such shorter period that will terminate when all notes covered by the shelf registration statement have been sold pursuant to the shelf registration statement. We will, in the event of such a shelf registration, provide to each noteholder copies of a prospectus, notify each noteholder when the shelf registration statement has become effective, and take certain other actions to permit resales of the notes. A noteholder that sells notes under the shelf registration statement generally will be required to be named as a selling security holder in the related prospectus and to deliver a prospectus to purchasers, will be subject to certain of the civil liability provisions under the Securities Act in connection with those sales, and will be bound by the provisions of the registration rights agreement that are applicable to such a noteholder (including certain indemnification obligations). Holders of notes will also be required to suspend their use of the prospectus included in the shelf registration statement under specified circumstances upon receipt of notice from us. Under applicable interpretations of the staff of the SEC, our affiliates will not be permitted to exchange their notes for registered notes in the exchange offer.
If the exchange offer is not completed (or, if required, the shelf registration statement is not declared effective or does not automatically become effective) on or before August 6, 2015, the annual interest rate borne by the notes will be increased by 1.0% per annum until the exchange offer is completed or the shelf registration statement is declared effective (or automatically becomes effective).
If we effect the exchange offer, we will be entitled to close the exchange offer 20 business days after its commencement, provided that we have accepted all notes validly surrendered in accordance with the terms of the exchange offer. Notes not tendered in the exchange offer shall bear interest at the rate set forth on the cover page of this offering memorandum and be subject to all the terms and conditions specified in the indenture, including transfer restrictions.
This summary of the provisions of the registration rights agreement does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the registration rights agreement, a copy of which is available from us upon request.
Except as set forth above, after consummation of the exchange offer, holders of old notes that are the subject of the exchange offer will have no registration or exchange rights under the registration rights agreement. Please read "—Consequences of Failure to Exchange."
Terms of the Exchange Offer
Subject to the terms and conditions described in this prospectus and in the accompanying letter of transmittal, we will accept for exchange any old notes properly tendered and not withdrawn prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date. We will issue new notes in a principal amount equal to the principal amount of old notes surrendered in the exchange offer. Old notes may be tendered only for new notes and only in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
The exchange offer is not conditioned upon any minimum aggregate principal amount of old notes being tendered for exchange.
As of the date of this prospectus, $230,410,000 in aggregate principal amount of the old notes is outstanding. This prospectus and the letter of transmittal are being sent to all registered holders of old notes. There will be no fixed record date for determining registered holders of old notes entitled to participate in the exchange offer.
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We intend to conduct the exchange offer in accordance with the provisions of the registration rights agreement, the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the SEC. Old notes that the holders thereof do not tender for exchange in the exchange offer will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest. These old notes will continue to be entitled to the rights and benefits such holders have under the Indenture relating to the notes and the registration rights agreement.
We will be deemed to have accepted for exchange properly tendered old notes when we have given oral notice (promptly confirmed in writing) or written notice of the acceptance to the exchange agent and complied with the applicable provisions of the registration rights agreement. The exchange agent will act as agent for the tendering holders for the purposes of receiving the new notes from us.
If you tender old notes in the exchange offer, you will not be required to pay brokerage commissions or fees or, subject to the letter of transmittal, transfer taxes with respect to the exchange of old notes. We will pay all charges and expenses, other than certain applicable taxes described below, in connection with the exchange offer. It is important that you read the section "—Fees and Expenses" for more details regarding fees and expenses incurred in connection with the exchange offer.
We will return any old notes that we do not accept for exchange for any reason without expense to their tendering holder promptly after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.
Expiration Date
The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on , unless, in our sole discretion, we extend it.
Extensions, Delays in Acceptance, Termination or Amendment
We expressly reserve the right, at any time or various times, to extend the period of time during which the exchange offer is open. We may delay acceptance of any old notes by giving oral or written notice of such extension to their holders at any time until the exchange offer expires or terminates. During any such extensions, all old notes previously tendered will remain subject to the exchange offer, and we may accept them for exchange.
In order to extend the exchange offer, we will notify the exchange agent orally or in writing (any such oral notice to be promptly confirmed in writing) of any extension. We will notify the registered holders of old notes of the extension no later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the business day after the previously scheduled expiration date.
If any of the conditions described below under "—Conditions to the Exchange Offer" have not been satisfied, we reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to:
- •
- delay accepting for exchange any old notes,
- •
- extend the exchange offer, or
- •
- terminate the exchange
by giving oral or written notice (any such oral notice to be promptly confirmed in writing) of such delay, extension or termination to the exchange agent. Subject to the terms of the registration rights agreement, we also reserve the right to amend the terms of the exchange offer in any manner.
Any such delay in acceptance, extension, termination or amendment will be followed promptly by oral or written notice thereof to the registered holders of old notes. If we amend the exchange offer in a manner that we determine to constitute a material change, we will promptly disclose such amendment by means of a prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will be distributed to the registered holders of the old notes. Depending upon the significance of the amendment and the manner of
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disclosure to the registered holders, we may extend the exchange offer. In the event of a material change in the exchange offer, including the waiver by us of a material condition, we will extend the exchange offer period, if necessary, so that at least five business days remain in the exchange offer period following notice of the material change.
Conditions to the Exchange Offer
We will not be required to accept for exchange, or exchange any new notes for, any old notes if the exchange offer, or the making of any exchange by a holder of old notes, would violate applicable law or any applicable interpretation of the staff of the SEC. Similarly, we may terminate the exchange offer as provided in this prospectus before accepting old notes for exchange in the event of such a potential violation.
In addition, we will not be obligated to accept for exchange the old notes of any holder that has not made to us the representations described under "—Purpose and Effect of the Exchange Offer," "—Procedures for Tendering" and "Plan of Distribution" and such other representations as may be reasonably necessary under applicable SEC rules, regulations or interpretations to allow us to use an appropriate form to register the issuance of the new notes under the Securities Act.
We expressly reserve the right to amend or terminate the exchange offer, and to reject for exchange any old notes not previously accepted for exchange, upon the occurrence of any of the conditions to the exchange offer specified above. We will give prompt oral or written notice of any extension, amendment, non-acceptance or termination to the holders of the old notes as promptly as practicable.
These conditions are for our sole benefit, and we may assert them or waive them in whole or in part at any time or at various times in our sole discretion prior to the expiration of the exchange offer.
If we fail at any time to exercise any of these rights, this failure will not mean that we have waived our rights. Each such right will be deemed an ongoing right that we may assert at any time or at various times prior to the expiration of the exchange offer.
In addition, we will not accept for exchange any old notes tendered, and will not issue new notes in exchange for any such old notes, if at such time any stop order has been threatened or is in effect with respect to the registration statement of which this prospectus constitutes a part or the qualification of the Indenture relating to the notes under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act").
Procedures for Tendering
In order to participate in the exchange offer, you must properly tender your old notes to the exchange agent as described below. We will only issue new notes in exchange for old notes that you timely and properly tender. Therefore, you should allow sufficient time to ensure timely delivery of the old notes, and you should follow carefully the instructions on how to tender your old notes. It is your responsibility to properly tender your notes. We have the right to waive any defects. However, we are not required to waive defects and are not required to notify you of defects in your tender.
If you have any questions concerning the procedures for exchanging your notes or need help in complying with those procedures, please call the exchange agent, whose address and phone number are set forth in "Prospectus Summary—The Exchange Offer—Exchange Agent."
All of the old notes were issued in book-entry form, and all of the old notes are currently represented by global certificates registered in the name of the nominee of DTC. We have confirmed with DTC that the old notes may be tendered using the Automated Tender Offer Program ("ATOP") instituted by DTC. The exchange agent will establish an account with DTC for purposes of the
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exchange offer promptly after the commencement of the exchange offer, and DTC participants may electronically transmit their acceptance of the exchange offer by causing DTC to transfer their old notes to the exchange agent using the ATOP procedures. In connection with the transfer, DTC will send an "agent's message" to the exchange agent. The agent's message will state that DTC has received instructions from the participant to tender old notes and that the participant agrees to be bound by the terms of the letter of transmittal.
By using the ATOP procedures to exchange old notes, you will not be required to deliver a letter of transmittal to the exchange agent. However, you will be bound by its terms just as if you had signed it.
There is no procedure for guaranteed late delivery of the notes.
Determinations Under the Exchange Offer
We will determine, in our sole discretion, all questions as to the validity, form, eligibility, time of receipt, acceptance of tendered old notes and withdrawal of tendered old notes. Our determination will be final and binding. We reserve the absolute right to reject any old notes not properly tendered or any old notes our acceptance of which would, in the opinion of our counsel, be unlawful. We also reserve the right to waive any defect, irregularities or conditions of tender as to particular old notes. Our interpretation of the terms and conditions of the exchange offer, including the instructions in the letter of transmittal, will be final and binding on all parties. Unless waived, all defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of old notes must be cured within such time as we shall determine. Although we intend to notify holders of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of old notes, neither we, the exchange agent nor any other person will incur any liability for failure to give such notification. Tenders of old notes will not be deemed made until such defects or irregularities have been cured or waived. Any old notes received by the exchange agent that are not properly tendered and as to which the defects or irregularities have not been cured or waived will be returned to the tendering holder, unless otherwise provided in the letter of transmittal, as soon as practicable following the expiration date of the exchange.
When We Will Issue New Notes
In all cases, we will issue new notes for old notes that we have accepted for exchange under the exchange offer only after the exchange agent timely receives:
- •
- a book-entry confirmation of such old notes into the exchange agent's account at DTC; and
- •
- a properly transmitted agent's message.
Return of Old Notes Not Accepted or Exchanged
If we do not accept any tendered old notes for exchange or if old notes are submitted for a greater principal amount than the holder desires to exchange, the unaccepted or non-exchanged old notes will be returned without expense to their tendering holder. Such non-exchanged old notes will be credited to an account maintained with DTC. These actions will occur as soon as practicable after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.
Your Representations to Us
By agreeing to be bound by the letter of transmittal, you will represent to us that, among other things:
- •
- any new notes that you receive will be acquired in the ordinary course of your business;
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- •
- you have no arrangement or understanding with any person or entity to participate in the distribution of the new notes;
- •
- you are not our "affiliate," as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act; and
- •
- if you are a broker-dealer that will receive new notes for your own account in exchange for old notes, you acquired those notes as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities and you will deliver a prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available a prospectus) in connection with any resale of such new notes.
Withdrawal of Tenders
Except as otherwise provided in this prospectus, you may withdraw your tender at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date. For a withdrawal to be effective, you must comply with the appropriate procedures of DTC's ATOP system. Any notice of withdrawal must specify the name and number of the account at DTC to be credited with withdrawn old notes and otherwise comply with the procedures of DTC.
We will determine all questions as to the validity, form, eligibility and time of receipt of notice of withdrawal. Our determination shall be final and binding on all parties. We will deem any old notes so withdrawn not to have been validly tendered for exchange for purposes of the exchange offer.
Any old notes that have been tendered for exchange but are not exchanged for any reason will be credited to an account maintained with DTC for the old notes. This crediting will take place as soon as practicable after withdrawal, rejection of tender or termination of the exchange offer. You may retender properly withdrawn old notes by following the procedures described under "—Procedures for Tendering" above at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the exchange offer.
Exchange Agent
We have appointed U.S. Bank National Association as the exchange agent for the exchange offer. You should direct questions, requests for assistance in complying with the exchange offer procedures, and requests for additional copies of this prospectus and the letter of transmittal that may accompany this prospectus to the exchange agent addressed as follows:
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, EXCHANGE AGENT
DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS
| | |
By First Class Mail: U. S. Bank National Association Attn: Specialized Finance 60 Livingston Avenue—EP-MN-WS2N St. Paul, MN 55107-2292 | | By Courier or Overnight Delivery: U. S. Bank National Association Attn: Specialized Finance 111 Fillmore Avenue St. Paul, MN 55107-1402 |
For Facsimile Transmission (eligible institutions only)
651-495-8158
Attn: Specialized Finance
Confirm via email:
escrowexchangepayments@usbank.com
For questions regarding the exchange or to request copies of materials, you should contact
Mauri Cowen
713-235-9206 phone -or- mauri.cowen@usbank.com email
Delivery to an address other than set forth above will not constitute a valid delivery.
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Fees and Expenses
We will bear the expenses of soliciting tenders. The principal solicitation is being made by mail; however, we may make additional solicitation by facsimile, telephone, electronic mail or in person by our officers and regular employees and those of our affiliates.
We have not retained any dealer-manager in connection with the exchange offer and will not make any payments to broker-dealers or others soliciting acceptances of the exchange offer. We will, however, pay the exchange agent reasonable and customary fees for its services and reimburse it for its related reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.
We will pay the cash expenses to be incurred in connection with the exchange offer. They include:
- •
- all registration and filing fees and expenses;
- •
- all fees and expenses of compliance with federal securities and state "blue sky" or securities laws;
- •
- accounting and legal fees, disbursements and printing, messenger and delivery services, and telephone costs; and
- •
- related fees and expenses.
Transfer Taxes
We will pay all transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the exchange of old notes under the exchange offer. The tendering holder, however, will be required to pay any transfer taxes, whether imposed on the registered holder or any other person, if a transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the exchange of old notes under the exchange offer.
Consequences of Failure to Exchange
If you do not exchange your old notes for new notes under the exchange offer, you will remain subject to the existing restrictions on transfer of the old notes. In general, you may not offer or sell the old notes unless the offer or sale is either registered under the Securities Act or exempt from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Except as required by the registration rights agreement, we do not intend to register resales of the old notes under the Securities Act.
Accounting Treatment
We will record the new notes in our accounting records at the same carrying value as the old notes. This carrying value is the aggregate principal amount of the old notes, less any bond discount and plus any bond premium, as reflected in our accounting records on the date of exchange. Accordingly, we will not recognize any gain or loss for accounting purposes in connection with the exchange offer.
Other
Participation in the exchange offer is voluntary and you should carefully consider whether to accept. You are urged to consult your financial and tax advisors in making your own decision on what action to take.
We may in the future seek to acquire untendered old notes in open market or privately-negotiated transactions, through subsequent exchange offers or otherwise. We have no present plans to acquire any old notes that are not tendered in the exchange offer or to file a registration statement to permit resales of any untendered old notes.
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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK
DIVIDENDS
The table below sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges and our ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends for the periods indicated.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three Months ended March 31, | | Years ended December 31, | |
---|
| | 2015 | | 2014 | | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
---|
Ratio of earnings (loss) to fixed charges(1)(2) | | | — | (3) | | 2.29x | | | 10.88x | | | 5.59x | | | 7.17x | | | 6.70x | |
Preferred dividend requirements (in thousands) | | $ | 3 | | $ | 10 | | $ | 10 | | $ | 10 | | $ | 10 | | $ | 18 | |
Ratio of earnings (loss) to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends(2)(4) | | | — | (3) | | 2.29x | | | 10.84x | | | 5.57x | | | 7.15x | | | 6.66x | |
- (1)
- This ratio has been computed by dividing earnings by fixed charges.
- (2)
- For purposes of computing the ratio of earnings (loss) to fixed charges and the ratio of earnings (loss) to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends, "earnings" consist of income (loss) before income taxes, fixed charges and amortization of capitalized interest, less capitalized interest. "Fixed charges" consist of interest expenses, interest capitalized, amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness and an estimate of interest within rental expense. "Preferred stock dividends requirements" consist of dividends paid with respect to our Series A 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $.0001 per share.
- (3)
- Due to our net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2015, the coverage ratio for this period was less than 1:1. To achieve a coverage ratio of 1:1, we would have needed additional earnings of approximately $105.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015.
- (4)
- This ratio has been computed by dividing earnings by fixed charges and preferred stock dividend requirements.
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USE OF PROCEEDS
The exchange offer is intended to satisfy our obligations under the registration rights agreement. We will not receive any proceeds from the issuance of the new notes in the exchange offer. In consideration for issuing the new notes as contemplated by this prospectus, we will receive old notes in a like principal amount. The form and terms of the new notes are identical in all respects to the form and terms of the old notes, except the new notes will be registered under the Securities Act and will not contain restrictions on transfer, registration rights or provisions for additional interest. Old notes surrendered in exchange for the new notes will be retired and cancelled and will not be reissued. Accordingly, the issuance of the new notes will not result in any change in outstanding indebtedness.
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DESCRIPTION OF NOTES
The old notes were issued under an indenture dated August 11, 2014 between us, the guarantors and US Bank National Association, as trustee. The terms of the notes include those stated in the indenture and those made part of the indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. We will issue the new notes under the same indenture under which we issued the old notes, and the new notes will represent the same debt as the old notes for which they are exchanged.
The old notes that remain outstanding after the completion of the exchange offer, together with the new notes, will be treated as a single class of securities under the indenture. Otherwise unqualified references herein to "notes" shall, unless the context requires otherwise, include the old notes and the new notes, and all references to specified percentages in aggregate principal amount of the notes shall be deemed to mean, at any time after the exchange offers are completed, such percentage in aggregate principal amount of the old notes and the new notes then outstanding.
The terms of the new notes will be identical to the terms of the old notes, except that the new notes:
- •
- will have been registered under the Securities Act;
- •
- will not be subject to transfer restrictions applicable to the old notes; and
- •
- will not have the benefit of the registration rights agreement applicable to the old notes.
The following description is a summary of the material provisions of the indenture. It does not restate the agreement in its entirety. We urge you to read the indenture because it, and not this description, defines your rights as holders of the notes. You may request copies of the Indenture at the address set forth under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information."
You can find the definitions of terms used in this description of notes below under the caption "—Definitions." Capitalized terms used in this description but not defined below under the caption "—Definitions" have the meanings assigned to them in the indenture. In this description, the words the "Company," "we," "our" and "us" refer only to Warren Resources, Inc. and not to any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates. References to the "notes" or the "Notes" refer to the new notes and the old notes.
The registered holder of a note will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes. Only registered holders will have rights under the indenture.
Brief Description of the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees
The New Notes
Like the old notes, the new notes will:
- •
- be general unsecured, senior obligations of the Company;
- •
- be represented by one or more registered Notes in global form, but in certain circumstances may be represented by Notes in definitive form as described under "Book-Entry, Delivery and Form";
- •
- rank senior in right of payment to all existing and future subordinated obligations and subordinated indebtedness of the Company;
- •
- rank equally in right of payment with any existing and future senior Indebtedness of the Company, without giving effect to collateral arrangements;
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- •
- be unconditionally guaranteed on a senior basis by each current Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that guarantees the Company's obligations under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement on the Issue Date (see "—Subsidiary Guarantees");
- •
- effectively rank junior to all existing and future secured Indebtedness of the Company, including amounts that may be borrowed under its Senior Secured Credit Agreement, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such Indebtedness; and
- •
- rank structurally junior to the Indebtedness and other obligations of our Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries, if any.
As of the date hereof, all of the Company's Subsidiaries will be Restricted Subsidiaries. Under certain circumstances, the Company may designate Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries. None of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries will be subject to the restrictive covenants in the Indenture and none will guarantee the notes.
Principal, Maturity and Interest
We currently have issued $230,410,000 in aggregate principal amount of old notes. In addition to the old notes hereby, we may issue additional notes ("Additional Notes") under the indenture from time to time after this offering. Any issuance of Additional Notes is subject to all of the covenants in the indenture, including the covenant described below under the caption "—Covenants—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock." The old notes and any Additional Notes subsequently issued under the indenture, together with the new notes, will be treated as a single class for all purposes under the indenture, including, without limitation, waivers, amendments, redemptions and offers to purchase. The notes will mature on December 1, 2020, and will be issued in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000.
Interest on the notes will accrue at the rate of 9.00% per annum and will be payable semi-annually in arrears on February 1 and August 1, commencing on February 1, 2015. Interest on overdue principal, premium, if any, and interest will accrue at the applicable interest rate on the notes. The Company will make each interest payment to the holders of record of the notes on the immediately preceding January 15 and July 15. Interest on the new notes will accrue from the date of original issuance or, if interest has already been paid, from the date it was most recently paid. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months. If a scheduled payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue on such payment for the intervening period. The Company will pay interest on overdue principal of the notes at the above rate, and overdue installments of interest at such rate, to the extent lawful.
Payments on the Notes; Paying Agent and Registrar
We will pay principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes at the office or agency designated by the Company in the City and State of New York, except that we may, at our option, pay interest on the Notes by check mailed to holders at their registered address as it appears in the registrar's books. We have initially designated the corporate trust office of the Trustee in New York, New York to act as our paying agent and its corporate trust office in Houston, Texas to act as our registrar. We may, however, change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the holders, and the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.
We will pay principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, Notes in global form registered in the name of or held by DTC or its nominee in immediately available funds to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered holder of such global Note.
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Transfer and Exchange
A holder may transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and in compliance with applicable law. The registrar or the Trustee may require a holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents in connection with a transfer of Notes. No service charge will be imposed by the Company, the Trustee or the registrar for any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes, but the Company may require a holder to pay a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or other governmental taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Company is not required to transfer or exchange any Note selected for redemption. Also, the Company is not required to transfer or exchange any Note for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed.
Optional Redemption
Except as described below in this section or under "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control," the Notes will not be redeemable until August 1, 2017. On and after August 1, 2017, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, upon prior notice given in accordance with the Indenture as described below under "—Selection and Notice," at the following redemption prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount of the Notes), plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes, if any, to the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on August 1 of the years indicated below:
| | | | |
Year | | Percentage | |
---|
2017 | | | 106.750 | % |
2018 | | | 104.500 | % |
2019 | | | 102.250 | % |
2020 and thereafter | | | 100.000 | % |
Prior to August 1, 2017, the Company may, at its option, on any one or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (calculated after giving effect to any issuance of Additional Notes) with the Net Cash Proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings, upon prior notice given in accordance with the Indenture as described below under "—Selection and Notice," at a redemption price equal to 109.000% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date);provided that:
- (1)
- at least 65% of the original aggregate principal amount of the Notes (calculated after giving effect to any issuance of Additional Notes) remains outstanding after each such redemption; and
- (2)
- the redemption occurs within 180 days after the closing of the related Equity Offering.
In addition, at any time prior to August 1, 2017, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, upon prior notice given in accordance with the Indenture as described below under "—Selection and Notice," at a redemption price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest to, the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).
"Applicable Premium" means, with respect to any Note on any applicable redemption date, the greater of:
- (1)
- 1.0% of the principal amount of such Note; or
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- (2)
- the excess, if any, of:
- (a)
- the present value at such redemption date of (i) the redemption price of such Note at August 1, 2017 (such redemption price being set forth in the table appearing above in this "Optional Redemption" section) plus (ii) all required interest payments due on such Note through August 1, 2017 (excluding accrued and unpaid interest to such redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption date plus 50 basis points; over
- (b)
- the principal amount of such Note.
"Treasury Rate" means, as of any redemption date, the yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) which has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to August 1, 2017;provided,however, that if the period from the redemption date to August 1, 2017 is not equal to the constant maturity of a United States Treasury security for which a weekly average yield is given, the Treasury Rate shall be obtained by linear interpolation (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the weekly average yields of United States Treasury securities for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the redemption date to August 1, 2017 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used. The Company will (a) calculate the Treasury Rate as of the second Business Day preceding the applicable redemption date and (b) prior to such redemption date file with the Trustee a statement setting forth the Applicable Premium and the Treasury Rate and showing the calculation of each in reasonable detail.
Selection and Notice
If the Company is redeeming less than all of the outstanding Notes, the Trustee will select the Notes for redemption in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Notes are listed or, if the Notes are not listed, then on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee in its sole discretion will deem to be fair and appropriate (or, in the case of Notes in global form, the Trustee will select Notes for redemption in accordance with DTC's procedures that most nearly approximate a pro rata selection), although no Note of $2,000 in original principal amount or less will be redeemed in part. Notices of redemption will be mailed by first-class mail at least 30 but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each holder to be redeemed at its registered address or delivered electronically through the applicable procedures of DTC, except that redemption notices may be mailed or delivered more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a legal defeasance or covenant defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture. If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption relating to such Note will state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. A new Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued in the name of the holder thereof upon cancellation of the partially redeemed Note. On and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on Notes or the portion of them called for redemption unless we default in the payment thereof. Any redemption or notice of redemption may, at our discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent and, in the case of a redemption with the Net Cash Proceeds of an Equity Offering, be given prior to the completion of the related Equity Offering.
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Mandatory Redemption; Offers to Purchase; Open Market Purchases
We will not be required to make mandatory redemption payments or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes. However, under certain circumstances, we may be required to offer to purchase Notes as described under the captions "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control" and "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales."
We may acquire Notes by means other than a redemption or required repurchase, whether by tender offer, open market purchases, negotiated transactions or otherwise, in accordance with applicable securities laws, so long as such acquisition does not otherwise violate the terms of the Indenture. However, other existing or future agreements of the Company may limit the ability of the Company or its Subsidiaries to purchase Notes prior to maturity.
Ranking
The Notes will be general unsecured obligations of the Company that rank senior in right of payment to all existing and future Indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes. The Notes will rank equally in right of payment with all existing and future liabilities of the Company that are not so subordinated and will be effectively subordinated to all of our secured Indebtedness, including Indebtedness Incurred under our Senior Secured Credit Agreement, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such Indebtedness, and liabilities of any of our future Subsidiaries that do not guarantee the Notes. In the event of bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up of the Company or its Subsidiary Guarantors or upon a default in payment with respect to, or the acceleration of, any Indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement or other secured Indebtedness, the assets of the Company and its Subsidiary Guarantors that secure secured Indebtedness will be available to pay obligations on the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees only after all Indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and other secured Indebtedness (including certain Hedging Obligations) have been repaid in full from such assets. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up of a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary, the assets of such Subsidiary will be available to pay obligations on the Notes only after all obligations of such Subsidiary have been repaid in full from such assets. We advise you that there may not be sufficient assets remaining to pay amounts due on any or all the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees then outstanding.
Subsidiary Guarantees
As with the old notes, each current Subsidiary of the Company that guarantees the Company's obligations under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement will be a Subsidiary Guarantor of the new notes. The Subsidiary Guarantors will, jointly and severally, fully and unconditionally guarantee on a senior unsecured basis our obligations under the Notes and all obligations under the Indenture. Such Subsidiary Guarantors will, jointly and severally, agree to pay, in addition to the obligations stated above, any and all costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses) incurred by the Trustee or any holder in enforcing any rights under the Subsidiary Guarantees.
Each of the Subsidiary Guarantees will:
- •
- be a general unsecured, senior obligation of each Subsidiary Guarantor;
- •
- rank equally in right of payment with any existing and future senior Indebtedness of each such entity, without giving effect to any collateral arrangements;
- •
- be effectively subordinated to all secured Indebtedness of a Subsidiary Guarantor (including the Guarantees of the Senior Secured Credit Agreement) to the extent of the value of the pledged assets;
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- •
- be senior in right of payment to any future Guarantor Subordinated Obligations of the Guarantors; and
- •
- be structurally subordinated to all liabilities of any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary.
Although the Indenture will limit the amount of Indebtedness that Restricted Subsidiaries may Incur, such Indebtedness may be substantial and such limitation is subject to a number of significant qualifications. Moreover, the Indenture will not impose any limitation on the Incurrence by such Subsidiaries of liabilities that are not considered Indebtedness under the Indenture. See "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock."
Any entity that makes a payment under its Subsidiary Guarantee will be entitled upon payment in full of all obligations that are guaranteed under the Indenture to a contribution from each other Subsidiary Guarantor in an amount equal to such other Subsidiary Guarantor's pro rata portion of such payment based on the respective net assets of all the Subsidiary Guarantors at the time of such payment, determined in accordance with GAAP.
The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee will be limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Subsidiary Guarantor (including, without limitation, any Guarantees under Credit Facilities) and after giving effect to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Subsidiary Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee or pursuant to its contribution obligations under the Indenture, result in the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal or state law, although no assurance can be given that a court would give the holder the benefit of such provision. See "Risk Factors—Risks Related to the Notes—Federal and state fraudulent transfer laws may permit a court to void the notes and/or the note guarantees, and if that occurs, you may not receive any payments on the notes." If a Subsidiary Guarantee were rendered voidable, it could be subordinated by a court to all other indebtedness (including guarantees and other contingent liabilities) of the applicable Subsidiary Guarantor, and, depending on the amount of such indebtedness, a Subsidiary Guarantor's liability on its Subsidiary Guarantee could be reduced to zero. If the obligations of a Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee were avoided, holders would have to look to the assets of any remaining Subsidiary Guarantors for payment. There can be no assurance in that event that such assets would suffice to pay the outstanding principal and interest on the Notes.
The Indenture will provide that each Subsidiary Guarantee by a Subsidiary Guarantor will be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon:
(1) (a) any sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, exchange or other disposition (by merger, consolidation or otherwise) of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor after which the applicable Subsidiary Guarantor is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary, which sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, exchange or other disposition is made in compliance with the provisions of the Indenture, including "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales" (it being understood that only such portion of the Net Available Cash as is required to be applied on or before the date of such release in accordance with the terms of the Indenture needs to be applied in accordance therewith at such time) and the first paragraph under "—Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation";provided that (i) all Guarantees and other obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor in respect of all other Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries terminate upon consummation of such transaction and (ii) any Investment of the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company (other than any Subsidiary of such Subsidiary Guarantor) in such Subsidiary Guarantor or any Subsidiary of such Subsidiary Guarantor in the form of obligations for Indebtedness or Preferred Stock is repaid, satisfied, released and discharged in full upon such release;
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(b) the release or discharge of such Subsidiary Guarantor from its Guarantee of Indebtedness of the Company and Restricted Subsidiaries under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement (including, by reason of the termination of the Senior Secured Credit Agreement) and all other Indebtedness of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors, including the Guarantee that resulted in the obligation of such Subsidiary Guarantor to Guarantee the Notes, if such Subsidiary Guarantor would not then otherwise be required to Guarantee the Notes pursuant to the Indenture, except a release or discharge by or as a result of payment under such Guarantee;provided that if such Guarantor has Incurred any Indebtedness in reliance on its status as a Subsidiary Guarantor under the covenant "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock," such Subsidiary Guarantor's obligations under such Indebtedness, as the case may be, so Incurred are satisfied in full and discharged or are otherwise permitted to be Incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary (other than a Subsidiary Guarantor) under "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock";
(c) the proper designation of any Subsidiary Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary; or
(d) the Company's exercise of its legal defeasance option or covenant defeasance option as described under "—Defeasance" or the discharge of the Company's obligations under the Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Indenture as described under "—Satisfaction and Discharge"; and
(2) such Subsidiary Guarantor delivering to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for in the Indenture relating to such transaction or release have been complied with.
Any released Subsidiary Guarantor will again provide a Subsidiary Guarantee if required to do so pursuant to the covenant described below under "—Certain Covenants—Future Subsidiary Guarantors."
Repurchase at the Option of Holders
If a Change of Control occurs, unless the Company has previously or concurrently exercised its right to redeem all of the Notes as described under "Optional Redemption" or another of the exceptions described below applies, each holder will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000) of such holder's Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).
Within 30 days following any Change of Control, unless the Company has previously or concurrently exercised its right to redeem all of the Notes as described under "—Optional Redemption" or another of the exceptions described below applies, the Company will mail a notice (the "Change of Control Offer") to each holder or otherwise deliver in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC, with a copy to the Trustee, stating:
(1) that a Change of Control has occurred and that such holder has the right to require us to purchase such holder's Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of such Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the right of holders of record on a record date to receive interest on the relevant interest payment date) (the "Change of Control Payment");
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(2) the repurchase date (which shall be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed or otherwise delivered in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC) (the "Change of Control Payment Date");
(3) that any Note not properly tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest;
(4) that unless we default in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest on the Change of Control Payment Date;
(5) that holders electing to have any Notes in certificated form purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender such Notes, with the form entitled "Option of Holder to Elect Purchase" on the reverse of such Notes completed, to the paying agent specified in the notice at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date;
(6) that holders will be entitled to withdraw their tendered Notes and their election to require us to purchase such Notes,provided that the paying agent receives, not later than the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the holder of the Notes, the principal amount of Notes tendered for purchase, and a statement that such holder is withdrawing its tendered Notes and its election to have such Notes purchased;
(7) that if we are repurchasing a portion of the Note of any holder, the holder will be issued a new Note equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Note surrenderedprovided that the unpurchased portion of the Note must be equal to a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000; and
(8) the procedures determined by us, consistent with the Indenture, that a holder must follow in order to have its Notes repurchased.
On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful:
(1) accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes (in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000) properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer and not properly withdrawn;provided that if, following repurchase of a portion of a Note, the remaining principal amount of such Note outstanding immediately after such repurchase would be less than $2,000, then the portion of such Note so repurchased shall be reduced so that the remaining principal amount of such Note outstanding immediately after such repurchase is $2,000;
(2) deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes accepted for payment; and
(3) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officers' Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased by the Company.
The paying agent will promptly mail (or otherwise deliver in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC) to each holder whose Notes are accepted for payment the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or otherwise deliver in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC) to each holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any;provided that each such new Note will be in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000.
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If the Change of Control Payment Date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest, will be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such record date, and no further interest will be payable to holders who tender pursuant to the Change of Control Offer.
The Change of Control provisions described above will be applicable whether or not any other provisions of the Indenture are applicable. Except as described above with respect to a Change of Control, the Indenture will not contain provisions that permit the holders to require that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries repurchase or redeem the Notes in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or similar transaction.
The Company will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if (1) a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in the Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer, (2) notice of redemption has been given pursuant to the Indenture as described above under "—Optional Redemption," unless and until there is a default in payment of the applicable redemption price, or (3) in connection with or in contemplation of any Change of Control, we have made an offer to purchase (an "Alternate Offer") any and all Notes validly tendered at a cash price equal to or higher than the Change of Control Payment and have purchased all Notes properly tendered in accordance with the terms of such Alternate Offer.
A Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, and conditioned upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of making the Change of Control Offer.
The Company will comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations in connection with the repurchase of Notes as a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with provisions of this covenant, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached our obligations under in the Indenture by virtue of its compliance with such securities laws or regulations.
Our ability to repurchase Notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer may be limited by a number of factors. The occurrence of certain of the events that constitute a Change of Control would constitute a default under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. In addition, certain events that may constitute a change of control under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and cause a default under that agreement will not constitute a Change of Control under the Indenture. Future Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries may also contain prohibitions of certain events that would constitute a Change of Control or require such Indebtedness to be repurchased upon a Change of Control. Moreover, the exercise by the holders of their right to require the Company to repurchase the Notes could cause a default under such Indebtedness, even if the Change of Control itself does not, due to the financial effect of such repurchase on the Company. Finally, the Company's ability to pay cash to the holders upon a repurchase may be limited by the Company's then existing financial resources. There can be no assurance that sufficient funds will be available when necessary to make any required repurchases.
Even if sufficient funds were otherwise available, our future Indebtedness may prohibit the Company's prepayment or repurchase of Notes before their scheduled maturity. Consequently, if the Company is not able to prepay the Indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and any such other Indebtedness containing similar restrictions or obtain requisite consents, the Company will be unable to fulfill its repurchase obligations if holders of Notes exercise their repurchase rights following a Change of Control, resulting in a default under the Indenture. A default under the Indenture may result in a cross-default under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement.
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If holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes validly tender and do not withdraw such Notes in a Change of Control Offer or Alternate Offer and the Company, or any third party making a Change of Control Offer in lieu of the Company as described above, purchases all of the Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn by such holders, the Company will have the right, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' prior notice, given not more than 30 days following such purchase pursuant to the Change of Control Offer or Alternate Offer, as applicable, to redeem all Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase at a redemption price in cash equal to the applicable Change of Control Payment plus, to the extent not included in the Change of Control Payment, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).
The Change of Control provisions described above may deter certain mergers, tender offers and other takeover attempts involving the Company. The Change of Control purchase feature is a result of negotiations between the initial purchasers and us. We have no current intention to engage in a transaction involving a Change of Control, although it is possible that we could decide to do so in the future. Subject to the limitations discussed below, we could, in the future, enter into certain transactions, including acquisitions, refinancings or other recapitalizations, that would not constitute a Change of Control under the Indenture, but that could increase the amount of indebtedness outstanding at such time or otherwise affect our capital structure or credit ratings. Restrictions on our ability to incur additional Indebtedness are contained in the covenants described under "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock" and "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Liens." Such restrictions in the Indenture can be waived only with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding. Except for the limitations contained in such covenants, however, the Indenture will not contain any covenants or provisions that may afford holders protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction.
The definition of "Change of Control" includes a disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any Person. Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase "substantially all," there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, in certain circumstances there may be a degree of uncertainty as to whether a particular transaction would involve a disposition of "all or substantially all" of the assets of a Person. As a result, it may be unclear as to whether a Change of Control has occurred and whether a holder may require the Company to make an offer to repurchase the Notes as described above. In a published decision, the Chancery Court of Delaware has raised the possibility that a Change of Control occurring as a result of a failure to have Continuing Directors comprising a majority of the Board of Directors may be unenforceable on public policy grounds.
The provisions under the Indenture relative to our obligation to make an offer to repurchase the Notes as a result of a Change of Control may be waived or modified or terminated with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes) prior to the occurrence of such Change of Control.
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any Asset Disposition unless:
(1) the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such Asset Disposition at least equal to the Fair Market Value (such Fair Market Value to be determined on the date of contractually agreeing to such Asset Disposition) of the Capital Stock or other assets subject to such Asset Disposition; and
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(2) (a) at least 75% of the aggregate consideration received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, from such Asset Disposition is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents or Additional Assets, or any combination thereof or (b) the Fair Market Value of all forms of consideration other than those in clause (a) since the Issue Date does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the Company's Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets measured at the time the determination is made.
For the purposes of clause (2) above and for no other purposes, the following will be deemed to be cash:
(1) the assumption by the transferee of Indebtedness (other than Subordinated Obligations or Disqualified Stock) of the Company or Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Guarantor Subordinated Obligations or Disqualified Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Subsidiary Guarantor) and the release of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary from all liability on such Indebtedness in connection with such Asset Disposition (in which case the Company will, without further action, be deemed to have applied such deemed cash to Indebtedness in accordance with clause (3)(a) of the first paragraph of this covenant);
(2) with respect to any Asset Disposition of oil and gas properties by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, the costs and expenses related to the exploration, development, completion or production of such properties and activities related thereto that the transferee (or an Affiliate thereof) has agreed to pay; and
(3) securities, notes or other obligations received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from the transferee that are converted by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash within 180 days after receipt thereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the 75% limitation referred to in clause (2) of the first paragraph of this covenant shall be deemed satisfied with respect to any Asset Disposition in which the cash or Cash Equivalents portion of the consideration received therefrom, determined in accordance with the foregoing provision on an after-tax basis, is equal to or greater than what the after-tax proceeds would have been had such Asset Disposition complied with the aforementioned 75% limitation,provided that the foregoing provision shall only be effective during any period in which the Company is subject to and pays corporate U.S. federal income taxes.
Within 365 days from the later of the date of such Asset Disposition or the receipt of such Net Available Cash, an amount equal to 100% of the Net Available Cash from such Asset Disposition may be applied by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, as follows:
(a) to prepay, repay, redeem or purchase Pari Passu Indebtedness of the Company (including the Notes) or a Subsidiary Guarantor or any Indebtedness (other than Disqualified Stock) of a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary (in each case, excluding Indebtedness owed to the Company or an Affiliate of the Company);provided, however, that, in connection with any prepayment, repayment, redemption or purchase of Indebtedness pursuant to this clause (a), the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary will retire such Indebtedness and will cause the related commitment (if any) to be permanently reduced in an amount equal to the principal amount so prepaid, repaid, redeemed or purchased; or
(b) to invest in Additional Assets;
provided that pending the final application of any such Net Available Cash in accordance with clause (a) or clause (b) above, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may temporarily reduce Indebtedness or otherwise invest such Net Available Cash in any manner not prohibited by the Indenture.
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The requirement of clause (3)(b) of the first paragraph of this covenant above shall be deemed to be satisfied if an agreement (including a lease, whether a capital lease or an operating lease) committing to make the acquisitions or expenditures referred to therein is entered into by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary within the specified time period and such Net Available Cash is subsequently applied in accordance with such agreement within six months following such agreement.
Any Net Available Cash from Asset Dispositions that is not applied or invested as provided in the preceding paragraph will be deemed to constitute "Excess Proceeds." Not later than the 366th day from the later of the date of such Asset Disposition or the receipt of such Net Available Cash, if the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $25.0 million, the Company will be required to make an offer (an "Asset Disposition Offer") to all holders and, to the extent required by the terms of other Pari Passu Indebtedness, to all holders of other Pari Passu Indebtedness outstanding with similar provisions requiring the Company to make an offer to purchase such Pari Passu Indebtedness with the proceeds from any Asset Disposition ("Pari Passu Notes") to purchase, on a pro rata basis, the maximum principal amount of Notes and any such Pari Passu Notes to which the Asset Disposition Offer applies that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds, at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount (or, in the event such Pari Passu Notes was issued with significant original issue discount, 100% of the accreted value thereof) of the Notes and Pari Passu Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any (or in respect of such Pari Passu Indebtedness, such lesser price, if any, as may be provided for by the terms of such Indebtedness), to the date of purchase (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture or the agreements governing the Pari Passu Notes, as applicable, in each case in minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000;provided that if, following repurchase of a portion of a Note, the remaining principal amount of such Note outstanding immediately after such repurchase would be less than $2,000, then the portion of such Note so repurchased shall be reduced so that the remaining principal amount of such Note outstanding immediately after such repurchase is $2,000. The Company shall commence an Asset Disposition Offer with respect to Excess Proceeds by mailing (or otherwise communicating in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC) the notice required pursuant to the terms of the Indenture, with a copy to the Trustee. To the extent that the aggregate principal amount of Notes and Pari Passu Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to an Asset Disposition Offer is less than the Excess Proceeds, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary may use any remaining Excess Proceeds for general corporate purposes, subject to the other covenants contained in the Indenture. To the extent the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered and not properly withdrawn by holders thereof exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds allocated on a pro rata basis to the purchase of the Notes, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be purchased on a pro rata basis on the basis of the aggregate principal amount of tendered Notes and in accordance with DTC's applicable procedures. The selection of such Pari Passu Notes to be purchased shall be made pursuant to the terms of such Pari Passu Notes. Upon completion of such Asset Disposition Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.
The Asset Disposition Offer will remain open for a period of 20 Business Days following its commencement, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the "Asset Disposition Offer Period"). No later than five Business Days after the termination of the Asset Disposition Offer Period (the "Asset Disposition Purchase Date"), the Company will purchase the principal amount of Notes and Pari Passu Notes required to be purchased pursuant to this covenant (the "Asset Disposition Offer Amount") or, if less than the Asset Disposition Offer Amount has been so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn, all Notes and Pari Passu Notes validly tendered and not properly withdrawn in response to the Asset Disposition Offer.
If the Asset Disposition Purchase Date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, will be paid to the Person in
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whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such record date, and no further interest will be payable to holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Disposition Offer.
On or before the Asset Disposition Purchase Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful, accept for payment, on apro rata basis to the extent necessary, the Asset Disposition Offer Amount of Notes and Pari Passu Notes or portions of Notes and Pari Passu Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Asset Disposition Offer, or if less than the Asset Disposition Offer Amount has been validly tendered and not properly withdrawn, all Notes and Pari Passu Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn, in each case in minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000;provided that if, following repurchase of a portion of a Note, the remaining principal amount of such Note outstanding immediately after such repurchase would be less than $2,000, then the portion of such Note so repurchased shall be reduced so that the remaining principal amount of such Note outstanding immediately after such repurchase is $2,000. The Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate stating that such Notes or portions thereof were accepted for payment by the Company in accordance with the terms of this covenant and, in addition, the Company will deliver all certificates and notes required, if any, by the agreements governing the Pari Passu Notes. The Company or the paying agent, as the case may be, will promptly (but in any case not later than five Business Days after the termination of the Asset Disposition Offer Period) mail (or otherwise deliver in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC) to each tendering holder or holder or lender of Pari Passu Notes, as the case may be, an amount equal to the purchase price of the Notes or Pari Passu Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn by such holder or lender, as the case may be, and accepted by the Company for purchase, and the Company will promptly issue a new Note, and the Trustee, upon delivery of an authentication order from the Company, will authenticate and mail or deliver such new Note to such holder, in a principal amount equal to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered;provided that each such new Note will be in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. In addition, the Company will take any and all other actions required by the agreements governing the Pari Passu Notes. Any Note not so accepted will be promptly mailed or delivered by the Company to the holder thereof. The Company will publicly announce the results of the Asset Disposition Offer on the Asset Disposition Purchase Date.
The Company will comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations in connection with the repurchase of Notes pursuant to an Asset Disposition Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with provisions of this covenant, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Indenture by virtue of its compliance with such securities laws or regulations.
The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, engage in any Asset Swaps, unless:
(1) at the time of entering into such Asset Swap and immediately after giving effect to such Asset Swap, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof; and
(2) the Company receives Fair Market Value in such Asset Swap (which shall have been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company to the extent required by the definition of "Fair Market Value").
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Certain Covenants
Following the first day (such date, a "Suspension Date") on which:
(a) an Investment Grade Rating Event has occurred; and
(b) no Default has occurred and is continuing under the Indenture,
the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will no longer be subject to the provisions of the Indenture described above under the following headings:
- •
- "—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock,"
- •
- "—Limitation on Restricted Payments,"
- •
- "—Limitation on Restrictions on Distributions from Restricted Subsidiaries,"
- •
- "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales,"
- •
- "—Limitation on Affiliate Transactions" and
- •
- Clause (3) of "—Merger and Consolidation"
(collectively, the "Suspended Covenants").
If at any time the Notes' credit rating is downgraded from an Investment Grade Rating by any Rating Agency or if a Default (other than a Reporting Failure) or Event of Default occurs and is continuing, then the Suspended Covenants will thereafter be reinstated as if such covenants had never been suspended (the "Reinstatement Date") and be applicable pursuant to the terms of the Indenture (including in connection with performing any calculation or assessment to determine compliance with the terms of the Indenture), unless and until the Notes subsequently attain an Investment Grade Rating from both of the Rating Agencies and no Default or Event of Default is in existence (in which event the Suspended Covenants shall no longer be in effect for such time that the Notes maintain an Investment Grade Rating from both of the Rating Agencies and no Default or Event of Default is in existence);provided, however, that no Default, Event of Default or breach of any kind shall be deemed to exist under the Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees with respect to the Suspended Covenants based on, and none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall bear any liability for, any actions taken or events occurring during the Suspension Period (as defined below), regardless of whether such actions or events would have been permitted if the applicable Suspended Covenants remained in effect during such period. The period of time between the Suspension Date and the Reinstatement Date is referred to as the "Suspension Period."
On the Reinstatement Date, all Indebtedness Incurred during the Suspension Period will be classified to have been Incurred pursuant to clause (4) of the second paragraph of "—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock." Calculations made after the Reinstatement Date of the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under "—Limitation on Restricted Payments" will be made as though the covenant described under "—Limitation on Restricted Payments" had been in effect since the Issue Date and throughout the Suspension Period. Accordingly, Restricted Payments made during the Suspension Period will reduce the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under the first paragraph of "—Limitation on Restricted Payments";provided, however that such amount shall not be reduced below zero.
During any period when the Suspended Covenants are suspended, the Board of Directors of the Company may not designate any of the Company's Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the Indenture.
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Promptly following the occurrence of any Suspension Date or Reinstatement Date, the Company will provide an Officers' Certificate to the Trustee regarding such occurrence. The Trustee shall have no obligation to independently determine or verify if a Suspension Date or Reinstatement Date has occurred or notify the holders of any Suspension Date or Reinstatement Date and the Trustee shall be fully protected in relying on such Officers' Certificate. The Trustee may provide a copy of such Officers' Certificate to any holder of the Notes upon request. There can be no assurance that the Notes will ever achieve an Investment Grade Rating.
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) and the Company will not permit any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary to issue Preferred Stock;provided, however, that the Company may Incur Indebtedness and any of the Subsidiary Guarantors may Incur Indebtedness if on the date thereof:
(1) the Consolidated Coverage Ratio of the Company is at least 2.25 to 1.00; and
(2) no Default would occur as a consequence of, and no Event of Default would be continuing following, Incurring the Indebtedness or entering into the transactions relating to such Incurrence.
The first paragraph of this covenant will not prohibit the Incurrence of the following Indebtedness or the issuance of the Preferred Stock referred to in clause (7) of this paragraph:
(1) Indebtedness under one or more Credit Facilities of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor Incurred pursuant to this clause (1) in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greatest of (i) $250.0 million, (ii) 35.0% of the Company's Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined as of the date of the Incurrence of such Indebtedness after giving effect to the application of the proceeds therefrom or (iii) the Borrowing Base, in each case outstanding at any one time;
(2) Guarantees by (a) the Company or Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness Incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture;provided that in the event such Indebtedness that is being Guaranteed is a Subordinated Obligation or a Guarantor Subordinated Obligation, then the related Guarantee shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee to at least the same extent as the Indebtedness being Guaranteed, as the case may be or (b) Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries of Indebtedness Incurred by Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture;
(3) Indebtedness of the Company owing to and held by any Restricted Subsidiary or Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to and held by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;provided, however, that
(a) if the Company is the obligor on such Indebtedness and the obligee is a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary, such Indebtedness must be expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all obligations with respect to the Notes;
(b) if a Subsidiary Guarantor is the obligor of such Indebtedness and the obligee is a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary, such Indebtedness must be expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor with respect to its Subsidiary Guarantee; and
(c) (i) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Capital Stock or any other event which results in any such Indebtedness being held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; and
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(ii) any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company
shall be deemed, in each case under this clause (3)(c), to constitute an Incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, that was not permitted by this clause;
(4) Indebtedness represented by (a) the Notes issued on the Issue Date and any Exchange Notes and all Subsidiary Guarantees, whenever issued, (b) any Indebtedness (other than the Indebtedness described in clauses (1), (2), (3), (4)(a), (6) and (7)) outstanding on the Issue Date and (c) any Refinancing Indebtedness Incurred in respect of any Indebtedness described in this clause (4) or clause (5) or (8) or Incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant;
(5) Permitted Acquisition Indebtedness;
(6) Indebtedness in respect of (a) self-insurance obligations, bid, appeal, reimbursement, performance, surety and similar bonds and completion guarantees provided by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business and any Guarantees or letters of credit functioning as or supporting any of the foregoing bonds or obligations and (b) obligations represented by letters of credit for the account of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in order to provide security for workers' compensation claims (in the case of clauses (a) and (b) other than for an obligation for money borrowed);
(7) Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary held by the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary;provided, however,
(a) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Capital Stock or any other event which results in such Preferred Stock being beneficially held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; and
(b) any sale or other transfer of any such Preferred Stock to a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company
shall be deemed in each case under this clause (7) to constitute an issuance of such Preferred Stock by such Subsidiary;
(8) Indebtedness represented by Capitalized Lease Obligations of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (whether or not Incurred pursuant to sale and leaseback transactions), mortgage financings or purchase money obligations, Incurred in connection with the acquisition, construction, improvement or development of real or personal, movable or immovable, property, in each case Incurred for the purpose of financing, refinancing, renewing, defeasing or refunding all or any part of the purchase price or cost of acquisition, construction, improvement or development of property used in the business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary,provided that after giving effect to any such Incurrence, the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause (8), together with any Refinancing Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to clause (4) in respect of such Indebtedness, and then outstanding does not exceed the greater of (x) $20.0 million or (y) 2.25% of the Company's Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined as of the date of Incurrence of such Indebtedness after giving effect to such Incurrence and the application of the proceeds therefrom; andprovided further that the principal amount of any Indebtedness Incurred under this clause (8) did not in each case at the time of Incurrence exceed the Fair Market Value, as determined in accordance with the definition of such term, of such acquired or constructed property or improvement or development; and
(9) in addition to the items referred to in clauses (1) through (8) above, Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate outstanding principal amount which, when taken together with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this
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clause (9) and then outstanding, will not exceed the greater of $30.0 million or 4.0% of the Company's Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, determined as of the date of Incurrence of such Indebtedness after giving effect to such Incurrence and the application of the proceeds therefrom.
For purposes of determining compliance with, and the outstanding principal amount of any particular Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to and in compliance with, this covenant:
(1) in the event an item of that Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the types of Indebtedness described in the first and second paragraphs of this covenant, the Company, in its sole discretion, will classify such item of Indebtedness on the date of Incurrence and may later classify, reclassify or redivide all or a portion of such item of Indebtedness, in any manner that complies with this covenant,provided that all Indebtedness outstanding on the date of the Indenture under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, and all Indebtedness (or the portion thereof) Incurred under clause (1) of the second paragraph of this covenant, shall be deemed Incurred on the Issue Date under clause (1) of the second paragraph of this covenant and not the first paragraph or clause (4)(b) of the second paragraph of this covenant and may not later be reclassified;
(2) Guarantees of, or obligations in respect of letters of credit supporting, Indebtedness which is otherwise included in the determination of a particular amount of Indebtedness shall not be included;
(3) if obligations in respect of letters of credit are Incurred pursuant to a Credit Facility and are being treated as Incurred pursuant to clause (1) of the second paragraph above and the letters of credit relate to other Indebtedness, then such other Indebtedness shall not be included;
(4) the principal amount of any Disqualified Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, or Preferred Stock of a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary, will be equal to the greater of the maximum mandatory redemption or repurchase price (not including, in either case, any redemption or repurchase premium) or the liquidation preference thereof;
(5) Indebtedness permitted by this covenant need not be permitted solely by reference to one provision permitting such Indebtedness but may be permitted in part by one such provision and in part by one or more other provisions of this covenant permitting such Indebtedness; and
(6) the amount of Indebtedness issued at a price that is less than the principal amount thereof will be equal to the amount of the liability in respect thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.
Accrual of interest, accrual of dividends, the amortization of debt discount or the accretion of accreted value, the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness, the payment of dividends in the form of additional shares of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock and unrealized losses or charges in respect of Hedging Obligations (including those resulting from the application of FASB Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic No. 815, Derivatives and Hedging), will not be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this covenant.
The Company will not permit any of its Unrestricted Subsidiaries to Incur any Indebtedness (including the issue of any Disqualified Stock), other than Non-Recourse Debt. If at any time an Unrestricted Subsidiary becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be Incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary as of such date (and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be Incurred as of such date under this "Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock" covenant, the Company shall be in Default of this covenant).
For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the Incurrence of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated
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in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was Incurred, in the case of term Indebtedness, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit Indebtedness;provided that if such Indebtedness is Incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced. Notwithstanding any other provision of this covenant, the maximum amount of Indebtedness that any Person may Incur pursuant to this covenant shall not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rates of currencies. The principal amount of any Indebtedness Incurred to refinance other Indebtedness, if Incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such Refinancing Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.
The Indenture will not treat (1) unsecured Indebtedness as subordinated or junior to secured Indebtedness merely because it is unsecured or (2) senior Indebtedness as subordinated or junior to any other senior Indebtedness merely because it has a junior priority with respect to the same collateral.
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, to:
(1) declare or pay any dividend or make any payment or distribution (whether made in cash, securities or other property) on or in respect of the Company's Capital Stock (including any payment or distribution in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) except:
(a) dividends or distributions by the Company payable solely in Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock); and
(b) dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary, so long as, in the case of any dividend or distribution payable on or in respect of any Capital Stock issued by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Wholly Owned Subsidiary, the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary holding such Capital Stock receives at least its pro rata share of such dividend or distribution;
(2) purchase, repurchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Capital Stock of the Company or any direct or indirect parent of the Company held by Persons other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than in exchange for Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock));
(3) make any principal payment on, or purchase, repurchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, prior to scheduled maturity, scheduled repayment or scheduled sinking fund payment, any Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations other than:
(a) Indebtedness of the Company owing to and held by any Subsidiary Guarantor or Indebtedness of a Subsidiary Guarantor owing to and held by the Company or any other Subsidiary Guarantor permitted under clause (3) of the second paragraph of the covenant "—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock" or
(b) the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations purchased in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in
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each case due within one year of the date of purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value); or
(4) make any Restricted Investment in any Person;
(any such payments and other actions referred to in clauses (1) through (4) (other than any exception thereto) shall be referred to herein as a "Restricted Payment"), unless at the time the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary makes such Restricted Payment:
(a) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (or would result therefrom);
(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction on apro forma basis, the Company is able to Incur an additional $1.00 of Indebtedness pursuant to the covenant described under the first paragraph under "—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock; or
(c) the aggregate amount of such Restricted Payment and all other Restricted Payments declared or made subsequent to the Issue Date would not exceed the sum of:
(i) 50% of Consolidated Net Income for the period (treated as one accounting period) from the beginning of the fiscal quarter next following the fiscal quarter in which the Issue Date occurs to the end of the most recent fiscal quarter ending prior to the date of such Restricted Payment for which internal financial statements are in existence (or, in case such Consolidated Net Income is a deficit, minus 100% of such deficit);
(ii) 100% of the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds and the Fair Market Value of property or securities other than cash, in each case received by the Company from the issue or sale of its Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) or other capital contributions subsequent to the Issue Date (other than Net Cash Proceeds received from an issuance or sale of such Capital Stock to:
(A) management, employees, directors or any direct or indirect parent of the Company, to the extent such Net Cash Proceeds have been used to make a Restricted Payment pursuant to clause (5)(a) of the next succeeding paragraph;
(B) a Subsidiary of the Company; or
(C) an employee stock ownership plan, option plan or similar trust (to the extent such sale to an employee stock ownership plan, option plan or similar trust is financed by loans from or Guaranteed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary unless such loans have been repaid with cash on or prior to the date of determination));
(iii) the amount by which Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries is reduced on the Company's consolidated balance sheet upon the conversion or exchange (other than debt securities held by a Subsidiary of the Company) subsequent to the Issue Date of any Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries convertible or exchangeable for Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock and other than the Existing Convertible Notes) of the Company, together with the net proceeds, if any, received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries upon such conversion or exchange (less the amount of any cash, or the Fair Market Value of any other property (other than Capital Stock (excluding Disqualified Stock) of the Company), distributed by the Company upon such conversion or exchange); and
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(iv) the amount equal to the aggregate net reduction in Restricted Investments made by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in any Person after the Issue Date resulting from:
(A) repurchases, repayments or redemptions of such Restricted Investments by such Person, proceeds realized upon the sale of such Restricted Investment (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company), repayments of loans or advances or other transfers of assets (including by way of dividend or distribution) by such Person to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than for reimbursement for tax payments);
(B) the re-designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries as Restricted Subsidiaries (valued in each case as provided in the definition of "Investment") not to exceed, in the case of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, the amount of Investments previously made by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in such Unrestricted Subsidiary; or
(C) the sale by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) of all or a portion of the Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary (other than to the extent such Investment constituted a Permitted Investment) or a distribution from an Unrestricted Subsidiary or a dividend from an Unrestricted Subsidiary (whether any such distribution or dividend is made with proceeds from the issuance by such Unrestricted Subsidiary of its Capital Stock or otherwise) not to exceed the lesser of (i) the amount of cash received or the Fair Market Value in the case of property and marketable securities, received therefrom after the Issue Date and (ii) the initial amount of such Restricted Investment or Fair Market Value of such Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time of the original designation thereof,
which amount in each case under this clause (iv) was included in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments;provided, however, that no amount will be included under this clause (iv) to the extent it is already included in Consolidated Net Income.
The provisions of the preceding paragraph will not prohibit:
(1) any Restricted Payment made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock and other than Capital Stock issued or sold to a Subsidiary of the Company or an employee stock ownership plan or similar trust to the extent such sale to an employee stock ownership plan or similar trust is financed by loans from or Guaranteed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary unless such loans have been repaid with cash on or prior to the date of determination) or a substantially concurrent cash capital contribution received by the Company from its shareholders;provided, however, that (a) such Restricted Payment will be excluded from subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments and (b) the Net Cash Proceeds from such sale of Capital Stock or capital contribution will be excluded from clause (c)(ii) of the preceding paragraph;
(2) any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Subordinated Obligations of the Company or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantor made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Subordinated Obligations of the Company or any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Guarantor Subordinated Obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantor made by exchange for or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of Guarantor Subordinated Obligations of a Subsidiary Guarantor, so long as such refinancing Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations are permitted to be Incurred pursuant to the covenant described under "—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock";provided, however, that such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, acquisition or
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retirement for value will be excluded from subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;
(3) any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Disqualified Stock of the Company made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Disqualified Stock of the Company so long as such refinancing Disqualified Stock is permitted to be Incurred pursuant to the covenant described under "—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock";provided, however, that such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, acquisition or retirement for value will be excluded from subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;
(4) dividends paid or distributions made within 60 days after the date of declaration if at such date of declaration such dividend or distribution would have complied with this covenant;provided, however, that such dividends and distributions will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments; andprovided further, however, that for purposes of clarification, this clause (4) shall not include cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares included in clause (9) below;
(5) so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, (a) the repurchase or other acquisition of Capital Stock (including options, warrants, equity appreciation rights or other rights to purchase or acquire Capital Stock) of the Company held by any existing or former employees, management or directors of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or their assigns, estates or heirs, in each case pursuant to the repurchase or other acquisition provisions under employee stock option or stock purchase plans or agreements or other agreements to compensate management, employees or directors, in each case approved by the Company's Board of Directors;provided that such repurchases or other acquisitions pursuant to this subclause (a) during any calendar year will not exceed $3.0 million in the aggregate (with unused amounts in any calendar year being carried over to succeeding calendar years);provided further, that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed (A) the cash proceeds received by the Company from the sale of Capital Stock of the Company to members of management, employees or directors of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries that occurs after the Issue Date (to the extent the cash proceeds from the sale of such Capital Stock have not otherwise been applied to the payment of Restricted Payments by virtue of the clause (c) of the preceding paragraph), plus (B) the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Issue Date, less (C) the amount of any Restricted Payments made pursuant to clauses (A) and (B) of this clause (5)(a);provided further, however, that the amount of any such repurchase or other acquisition under this subclause (a) will be excluded in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments and the proceeds received from any such transaction will be excluded from clause (c)(ii) of the preceding paragraph; and (b) loans or advances to employees or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, in each case as permitted by Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the proceeds of which are used to purchase Capital Stock of the Company, or to refinance loans or advances made pursuant to this clause (5)(b), in an aggregate principal amount not in excess of $3.0 million at any one time outstanding;provided, however, that the amount of such loans and advances will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;
(6) purchases, repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions or retirements for value of Capital Stock deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options, warrants, rights to acquire Capital Stock or other convertible or exchangeable securities if such Capital Stock represents a portion of the exercise or exchange price thereof, and any purchases, repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions or retirements for value of Capital Stock made in lieu of withholding taxes in connection with any exercise or exchange of warrants, options or rights to acquire Capital Stock;
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provided, however, that such acquisitions or retirements will be excluded from subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;
(7) the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Subordinated Obligation (i) at a purchase price not greater than 101% of the principal amount of such Subordinated Obligation in the event of a Change of Control in accordance with provisions similar to the covenant described under "Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control" or (ii) at a purchase price not greater than 100% of the principal amount thereof in accordance with provisions similar to the covenant described under "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales";provided that, prior to or simultaneously with such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value, the Company has made the Change of Control Offer or Asset Disposition Offer, as applicable, as provided in such covenant with respect to the Notes and has completed the repurchase or redemption of all Notes validly tendered for payment in connection with such Change of Control Offer or Asset Disposition Offer;provided, however, that such acquisitions or retirements will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;
(8) payments or distributions to dissenting stockholders pursuant to applicable law or in connection with the settlement or other satisfaction of legal claims made pursuant to or in connection with a consolidation, merger or transfer of assets;provided, however, that any payment pursuant to this clause (8) shall be included in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments;
(9) cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares;provided, however, that any payment pursuant to this clause (9) shall be excluded in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments;
(10) the declaration and payment of scheduled or accrued dividends to holders of any class of or series of Disqualified Stock of the Company issued on or after the Issue Date in accordance with the covenant captioned "—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock", to the extent such dividends are included in Consolidated Interest Expense;provided, however, that any payment pursuant to this clause (10) shall be excluded in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments; and
(11) Restricted Payments in an amount not to exceed $30.0 million in the aggregate since the Issue Date;provided, however, that the amount of such Restricted Payments will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments.
The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) shall be the Fair Market Value on the date that asset(s) or securities are proposed to be paid, transferred or issued by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to such Restricted Payment, except that the Fair Market Value of any non-cash dividend or distribution made within 60 days after the date of declaration shall be determined as of such date. The Fair Market Value of any cash Restricted Payment shall be its face amount and the Fair Market Value of any non-cash Restricted Payment shall be determined in accordance with the definition of that term. Not later than the date of making any Restricted Payment in excess of $7.5 million that will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate stating that such Restricted Payment is permitted and setting forth the basis upon which the calculations required by this covenant were computed.
In the event that a Restricted Payment meets the criteria of more than one of the exceptions described in (1) through (11) above or is entitled to be made pursuant to the first paragraph above, the Company shall, in its sole discretion, classify such Restricted Payment.
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As of the Issue Date, all of the Company's Subsidiaries will be Restricted Subsidiaries. We will not permit any Unrestricted Subsidiary to become a Restricted Subsidiary except pursuant to the last sentence of the definition of "Unrestricted Subsidiary." For purposes of designating any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, all outstanding Investments by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid) in the Subsidiary so designated will be deemed to be Restricted Payments in an amount determined as set forth in the last sentence of the definition of "Investment." Such designation will be permitted only if a Restricted Payment in such amount would be permitted at such time, whether pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant or under clause (11) of the second paragraph of this covenant, or pursuant to the definition of "Permitted Investments," and if such Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to any of the restrictive covenants set forth in the Indenture.
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, Incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien (the "Initial Lien") other than Permitted Liens upon any of its property or assets (including Capital Stock of Subsidiaries), including any income or profits therefrom, whether owned on the date of the Indenture or acquired after that date, which Lien is securing any Indebtedness, unless contemporaneously with the Incurrence of such Lien effective provision is made to secure the Indebtedness due under the Notes or, in respect of Liens on any Restricted Subsidiary's property or assets, any Subsidiary Guarantee of such Restricted Subsidiary, equally and ratably with (or senior in priority to in the case of Liens with respect to Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations, as the case may be) the Indebtedness secured by such Lien for so long as such Indebtedness is so secured.
Any Lien created for the benefit of the holders pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall provide by its terms that such Lien shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon the release and discharge of the Initial Lien.
The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or consensual restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:
(1) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock or pay any Indebtedness or other obligations owed to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the priority of any Preferred Stock in receiving dividends or liquidating distributions prior to dividends or liquidating distributions being paid on Common Stock shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make distributions on Capital Stock);
(2) make any loans or advances to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the subordination of loans or advances made to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to other Indebtedness Incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make loans or advances); or
(3) sell, lease or transfer any of its property or assets to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.
The preceding provisions will not prohibit:
(i) any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to or by reason of the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and related documentation and any other agreement in effect at or entered into on the Issue Date;
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(ii) any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to the Indenture, the Notes, the Exchange Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees;
(iii) any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Person pursuant to or by reason of an agreement relating to any Capital Stock or Indebtedness Incurred by a Person on or before the date on which such Person was acquired by the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary (other than Capital Stock or Indebtedness Incurred as consideration in, or to provide all or any portion of the funds utilized to consummate, the transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which such Person was acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or in contemplation of the transaction) and outstanding on such date;provided that any such encumbrance or restriction shall not extend to any assets or property of the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary other than the assets and property so acquired;
(iv) encumbrances and restrictions contained in contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, not relating to any Indebtedness, and that do not, individually or in the aggregate, detract from the value of, or from the ability of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries to realize the value of, property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in any manner material to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(v) any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to or by reason of an agreement that the Unrestricted Subsidiary is a party to entered into before the date on which such Unrestricted Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary;provided that such agreement was not entered into in anticipation of the Unrestricted Subsidiary becoming a Restricted Subsidiary and any such encumbrance or restriction shall not extend to any assets or property of the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary other than the assets and property so acquired;
(vi) with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary, any encumbrance or restriction contained in the terms of any Indebtedness or any agreement pursuant to which such Indebtedness was Incurred if either (1) the encumbrance or restriction applies only in the event of a payment default or a default with respect to a financial covenant in such Indebtedness or agreement or (2) the Company determines that any such encumbrance or restriction will not materially affect the Company's ability to make principal or interest payments on the Notes, as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be conclusive and which encumbrances and restrictions do not extend to any Subsidiary that is not a Foreign Subsidiary;
(vii) any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to an agreement effecting a refunding, replacement, refinancing, amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase or supplement of Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to an agreement referred to in clauses (i) through (iii), (v), (vi) or clause (xiii) of this paragraph or this clause (vii) or contained in any amendment, restatement, modification, renewal, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing of an agreement referred to in clauses (i) through (iii), (v), (vi) or clause (xiii) of this paragraph or this clause (vii);provided that the encumbrances and restrictions with respect to such Restricted Subsidiary contained in any such agreement taken as a whole are no less favorable in any material respect to the holders than the encumbrances and restrictions contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refunded, replaced or refinanced as determined in good faith by the Senior Management of the Company;
(viii) in the case of clause (3) of the first paragraph of this covenant, any encumbrance or restriction:
(a) that restricts in a customary manner the subletting, assignment or transfer of any property or asset that is subject to a lease (including leases governing leasehold interests or farm-in agreements or farm-out agreements relating to leasehold interests in Oil and Gas
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Properties), license or similar contract, or the assignment or transfer of any such lease (including leases governing leasehold interests or farm-in agreements or farm-out agreements relating to leasehold interests in Oil and Gas Properties), license (including, without limitation, licenses of intellectual property) or other contract;
(b) contained in mortgages, pledges or other security agreements permitted under the Indenture securing Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to the extent such encumbrances or restrictions restrict the transfer of the property subject to such mortgages, pledges or other security agreements;
(c) contained in any agreement creating Hedging Obligations permitted from time to time under the Indenture;
(d) pursuant to customary provisions restricting dispositions of real property interests set forth in any reciprocal easement agreements of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(e) restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business; or
(f) provisions with respect to the disposition or distribution of assets or property in operating agreements, joint venture agreements, development agreements, area of mutual interest agreements and other agreements that are customary in the Oil and Gas Business and entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(ix) any encumbrance or restriction contained in (a) purchase money obligations for property acquired in the ordinary course of business and (b) Capitalized Lease Obligations permitted under the Indenture, in each case, that impose encumbrances or restrictions of the nature described in clause (3) of the first paragraph of this covenant on the property so acquired;
(x) any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary (or any of its property or assets) imposed pursuant to an agreement entered into for the direct or indirect sale or disposition of all or a portion of the Capital Stock or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary (or the property or assets that are subject to such restriction) pending the closing of such sale or disposition;
(xi) any customary encumbrances or restrictions imposed pursuant to any agreement of the type described in the definition of "Permitted Business Investment";
(xii) encumbrances or restrictions arising or existing by reason of applicable law or any applicable rule, regulation or order;
(xiii) encumbrances or restrictions contained in agreements governing Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted to be Incurred pursuant to an agreement entered into subsequent to the Issue Date in accordance with the covenant described under the caption "—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock";provided that the provisions relating to such encumbrance or restriction contained in such Indebtedness, taken as a whole, are no less favorable in any material respect to the holders, as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company, than the provisions contained in the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and in the Indenture as in effect on the Issue Date;
(xiv) the issuance of Preferred Stock by a Restricted Subsidiary or the payment of dividends thereon in accordance with the terms thereof;provided that issuance of such Preferred Stock is permitted pursuant to the covenant described under the caption "—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock" and the terms of such Preferred Stock do not expressly restrict the ability of a Restricted Subsidiary to pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock
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(other than requirements to pay dividends or liquidation preferences on such Preferred Stock prior to paying any dividends or making any other distributions on such other Capital Stock); and
(xv) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business.
Limitation on Affiliate Transactions
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, make, amend or conduct any transaction (including making a payment to, the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property or asset or the rendering of any service), contract, agreement or understanding with or for the benefit of any Affiliate of the Company (an "Affiliate Transaction") unless:
(1) the terms of such Affiliate Transaction are not materially less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, than those that could reasonably be expected to be obtained in a comparable transaction at the time of such transaction in arm's-length dealings with a Person who is not such an Affiliate; and
(2) either: (a) if such Affiliate Transaction involves an aggregate consideration in excess of $15.0 million but not greater than $25.0 million, the Company delivers to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction satisfies the criteria in clause (1) above, or (b) if such Affiliate Transaction involves an aggregate consideration in excess of $25.0 million, the Company delivers to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction satisfies the criteria in clause (1) above and that the terms of such transaction have been approved by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company having no personal stake in such transaction.
The preceding paragraph will not apply to:
(1) any Restricted Payment permitted to be made pursuant to the covenant described under "—Limitation on Restricted Payments" or any Permitted Investment;
(2) any issuance of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock), or other payments, awards or grants in cash, Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment or severance agreements and other compensation arrangements, options to purchase Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company, restricted stock plans, long-term incentive plans, stock appreciation rights plans, participation plans or similar employee benefits plans and/or insurance and indemnification arrangements provided to or for the benefit of directors and employees approved by the Board of Directors of the Company;
(3) any transaction with a Person in its capacity as a holder of Indebtedness or Equity Interests of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary where such Person is treated no more favorably than the holders of such Indebtedness or Equity Interests who are not Affiliates of the Company,provided that such transaction is approved by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors of the Company;
(4) advances to or reimbursements of employees for moving, entertainment and travel expenses, drawing accounts and similar expenditures in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(5) any transaction between the Company and a Restricted Subsidiary or between Restricted Subsidiaries, and Guarantees issued by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary for the benefit of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in accordance with "—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock";
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(6) any transaction with a joint venture or similar entity which would constitute an Affiliate Transaction solely because the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary owns, directly or indirectly, an Equity Interest in or otherwise controls such joint venture or similar entity;
(7) the issuance or sale of any Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company to, or the receipt by the Company of any capital contribution from its shareholders;
(8) indemnities of officers, directors and employees of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted by bylaw or statutory provisions and any employment agreement or other employee compensation plan or arrangement entered into in the ordinary course of business by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(9) the payment of reasonable compensation and fees paid to, and indemnity provided on behalf of, officers or directors of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(10) the performance of obligations of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries under the terms of any agreement to which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is a party as of or on the Issue Date, as these agreements may be amended, modified, supplemented, extended or renewed from time to time;provided, however, that any future amendment, modification, supplement, extension or renewal entered into after the Issue Date will be permitted only to the extent that its terms taken as a whole, are no less favorable in any material respect to the holders, as determined by Senior Management of the Company in good faith, than the terms of the agreements in effect on the Issue Date;
(11) transactions with customers, clients, suppliers, or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, in each case in the ordinary course of business and otherwise in compliance with the terms of the Indenture,provided that in the reasonable determination of the Board of Directors of the Company or the Senior Management of the Company, such transactions are on terms not materially less favorable to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that could reasonably be expected to be obtained in a comparable transaction at such time on an arm's-length basis from a Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company;
(12) transactions with a Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) that is an Affiliate of the Company solely because the Company owns, directly or through a Restricted Subsidiary, an Equity Interest in such Person; and
(13) transactions between the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Person, a director of which is also a director of the Company or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company, and such director is the sole cause for such Person to be deemed an Affiliate of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;provided, however, that such director shall abstain from voting as a director of the Company or such direct or indirect parent company, as the case may be, on any matter involving such other Person.
Provision of Financial Information
The Indenture will provide that, whether or not the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, to the extent not prohibited by the Exchange Act, the Company will file with the SEC, and make available to the Trustee and the holders without cost to any holder, the annual reports and the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) that are specified in Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act and applicable to a U.S. corporation within the time periods specified therein with respect to an accelerated filer. In the event that the Company is not permitted to file such reports, documents and information with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, the Company will nevertheless make available such Exchange Act information to the Trustee and the holders without cost to any holder as if the Company were subject to the reporting requirements of
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Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act within the time periods specified therein with respect to a non-accelerated filer.
The annual and quarterly reports of the Company provided pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant shall disclose the amount of the Borrowing Base as of the end of the most recent period.
If the Company has designated any of its Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries, then the financial information required will include a reasonably detailed presentation, either on the face of the financial statements or in the footnotes thereto, and in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, of the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries separate from the financial condition and results of operations of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Company.
In addition, no later than five Business Days after the date the annual and quarterly financial information for the prior fiscal period have been filed or furnished, the Company shall also hold live quarterly conference calls with the opportunity to ask questions of management. No fewer than ten Business Days prior to the date such conference call is to be held, the Company shall issue a press release to the appropriate U.S. wire services announcing such quarterly conference call for the benefit of the Trustee, the holders, beneficial owners of the Notes, prospective purchasers of the Notes, securities analysts and market making financial institutions, which press release shall contain the time and the date of such conference call and direct the recipients thereof to contact an individual at the Company (for whom contact information shall be provided in such notice) to obtain information on how to access such quarterly conference call. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the preceding two sentences shall be deemed satisfied for so long as the Company's equity securities are registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act and the Company continues to conduct customary earnings conference calls which are publicly announced on the Company's website or in a press release, in each case consistent with past practices of the Company.
The availability of the foregoing materials on the SEC's website or on the Company's website shall be deemed to satisfy the foregoing delivery obligations.
Any and all Defaults or Events of Default arising from a failure to furnish or file in a timely manner any information or report required by this covenant shall be deemed cured (and the Company shall be deemed to be in compliance with this covenant) upon furnishing or filing such information or report as contemplated by this covenant (but without regard to the date on which such information or report is so furnished or filed);provided that such cure shall not otherwise affect the rights of the holders under "—Events of Default" if the principal, premium, if any, and interest with respect to the Notes have been accelerated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and such acceleration has not been rescinded or cancelled prior to such cure.
The Company will not consolidate with or merge with or into or wind up into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation), or sell, assign, lease, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all its assets in one or more related transactions to, any Person, unless:
(1) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the "Successor Company") will be a corporation, partnership or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State of the United States or the District of Columbia and the Successor Company (if not the Company) will expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of the Company under the Notes and the Indenture and assumes by written agreement all of the obligations of the Company under the Registration Rights Agreement, and if such Successor
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Company is not a corporation, a co-obligor of the Notes is a corporation organized and existing under such laws;
(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness that becomes an obligation of the Successor Company or any Subsidiary of the Successor Company as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by the Successor Company or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;
(3) immediately after giving effect to such transaction on apro forma basis and any related financing transactions as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four quarter period, either (A) the Successor Company would be able to Incur at least an additional $1.00 of Indebtedness pursuant to the first paragraph of the covenant described under "—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock" or (B) the Consolidated Coverage Ratio of the Company is equal to or greater than the Consolidated Coverage Ratio of the Company immediately before such transaction;
(4) if the Company is not the Successor Company, each Subsidiary Guarantor (unless it is the other party to such transaction, in which case clause (1) of the third paragraph of this covenant shall apply) shall have by supplemental indenture confirmed that its Subsidiary Guarantee shall apply to such Person's obligations in respect of the Indenture and the Notes and shall have by written agreement confirmed that its obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement shall continue to be in effect; and
(5) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such transaction and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with the Indenture.
Notwithstanding clause (3) of the preceding paragraph, (x) any Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate with, merge or wind up into, or dispose of all or part of its assets to, the Company so long as no Capital Stock of the Restricted Subsidiary is distributed to any Person other than the Company, and the Company may consolidate with, merge or wind up into, or dispose of all or part of its assets to, a Subsidiary Guarantor and (y) the Company may merge with or into an Affiliate incorporated solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Company in another jurisdiction; andprovided further that, in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary that consolidates with, merges or winds up into, or disposes of all or part of its assets to, the Company, the Company will not be required to comply with clause (5) of the preceding paragraph.
In addition, the Company will not permit any Subsidiary Guarantor to consolidate with, merge with or into or wind up into (whether or not the Subsidiary Guarantor is the surviving company), or sell, assign, lease, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all its assets in one or more related transactions to, any Person, (other than the Company or another Subsidiary Guarantor) unless:
(1) (a) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the "Successor Guarantor") will be a corporation, partnership, trust or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State of the United States or the District of Columbia and such Person (if not such Subsidiary Guarantor) will expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, all the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee and assumes by written agreement all the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantor under the Registration Rights Agreement; (b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness that becomes an obligation of the resulting, surviving or transferee Person or any Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by such Person or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time of such transaction), no Default
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shall have occurred and be continuing; and (c) the Company will have delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such transaction and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with the Indenture; or
(2) the transaction results in release of the Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under the Indenture and its Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with clause (1)(a) under "—Subsidiary Guarantees."
Notwithstanding the foregoing , any Subsidiary Guarantor may consolidate with, merge with or into, wind up into or dispose of all or part of its assets to another Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, so long as the resulting entity remains or becomes a Subsidiary Guarantor.
For purposes of this covenant, the sale, assignment, lease, transfer, conveyance, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of one or more Subsidiaries of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor, which assets, if held by the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor instead of such Subsidiaries, would constitute all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor on a consolidated basis, shall be deemed to be the disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable.
Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase "substantially all," there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, in certain circumstances there may be a degree of uncertainty as to whether a particular transaction would involve "all or substantially all" of the assets of a Person.
Upon any consolidation, merger, winding up, sale, assignment, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with this covenant, the Company and a Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, will be released from its obligations under the Indenture and the Notes or its Subsidiary Guarantee, as the case may be, and the Successor Company and the Successor Guarantor, as the case may be, will succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, under the Indenture, the Notes, the Registration Rights Agreement and such Subsidiary Guarantee;provided that, in the case of a lease of all or substantially all its assets, the Company will not be released from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes, and a Subsidiary Guarantor will not be released from its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee.
The Company will cause any Domestic Subsidiary that is not already a Subsidiary Guarantor that Guarantees any Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor, in each case to execute and deliver to the Trustee within 15 Business Days a supplemental indenture (in the form specified in the Indenture) pursuant to which such Subsidiary will unconditionally Guarantee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes on a senior basis.
The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor will be limited as described under "—Subsidiary Guarantees."
Each Subsidiary Guarantee shall be released in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture described under "—Subsidiary Guarantees."
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Neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries will, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration, whether by way of interest, fees or otherwise, to any holder of any Notes for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of the Indenture or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to be paid or is paid to all holders that consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in the solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or amendment.
Events of Default
Each of the following is an Event of Default with respect to the Notes:
(1) default in any payment of interest or Additional Interest (as required by the Registration Rights Agreement) on any Note when due, continued for 30 days;
(2) default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, on any Note when due at its Stated Maturity, upon optional redemption, upon required repurchase, upon declaration of acceleration or otherwise;
(3) failure by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor to comply with its obligations "—Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation";
(4) failure by the Company to comply for 30 days (or 120 days in the case of a Reporting Failure) after notice as provided below with any of its obligations under the covenant described under "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders" above or under the covenants described under "—Certain Covenants" above (in each case, other than a failure to purchase Notes which will constitute an Event of Default under clause (2) above and other than a failure to comply with "—Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation" which is covered by clause (3));
(5) failure by the Company to comply for 60 days after notice as provided below with its other agreements contained in the Indenture;
(6) default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is Guaranteed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), other than Indebtedness owed to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, whether such Indebtedness or Guarantee now exists, or is created after the date of the Indenture, which default:
(a) is caused by a failure to pay principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness (and any extensions of any grace period) ("payment default"); or
(b) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its Stated Maturity (the "cross acceleration provision");
and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a payment default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $20.0 million or more;
(7) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Company or a Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary (the "bankruptcy provisions");
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(8) failure by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary to pay final judgments aggregating in excess of $20.0 million (to the extent not covered by insurance by a reputable and creditworthy insurer as to which the insurer has not disclaimed coverage), which judgments are not paid or discharged, and there shall be any period of 60 consecutive days following entry of such final judgment or decree during which a stay of enforcement of such final judgment or decree, by reason of pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect (the "judgment default provision"); or
(9) any Subsidiary Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms of the Indenture) or is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary or group of Subsidiary Guarantors that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, denies or disaffirms its obligations under the Indenture or its Subsidiary Guarantee.
However, a default under clauses (4) and (5) of this paragraph will not constitute an Event of Default until the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes notify the Company in writing and, in the case of a notice given by the holders, the Trustee of the default and the Company does not cure such default within the time specified in clauses (4) and (5) of this paragraph after receipt of such notice.
If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default described in clause (7) above) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee by notice to the Company, or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes by notice to the Company and the Trustee, may, and the Trustee at the request of such holders shall, declare the principal of, premium, if any, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all the Notes to be due and payable. If an Event of Default described in clause (7) above occurs and is continuing, the principal of, premium, if any, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all the Notes will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any holders. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may rescind any such acceleration with respect to the Notes and its consequences if, among other requirements, (1) rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction and (2) all existing Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes that have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default specified in clause (6) above shall have occurred and be continuing, such Event of Default and any consequential acceleration (to the extent not in violation of any applicable law or in conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction) shall be automatically rescinded if (i) the Indebtedness that is the subject of such Event of Default has been repaid or (ii) if the default relating to such Indebtedness is waived by the holders of such Indebtedness or cured and if such Indebtedness has been accelerated, then the holders thereof have rescinded their declaration of acceleration in respect of such Indebtedness, in each case within 20 days after the declaration of acceleration with respect thereto, and (iii) any other existing Events of Default, except nonpayment of principal, premium or interest on the Notes that became due solely because of the acceleration of the Notes, have been cured or waived.
Subject to the provisions of the Indenture relating to the duties of the Trustee if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under the Indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders unless such holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.
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Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest when due, no holder may pursue any remedy with respect to the Indenture or the Notes unless:
(1) such holder has previously given the Trustee notice that an Event of Default is continuing;
(2) holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes have requested the Trustee to pursue the remedy;
(3) such holders have offered the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense;
(4) the Trustee has not complied with such request within 60 days after the receipt of the request and the offer of security or indemnity; and
(5) the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes have not waived such Event of Default or otherwise given the Trustee a direction that, in the opinion of the Trustee, is inconsistent with such request within such 60-day period.
Subject to certain restrictions, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes are given the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or of exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee will be required in the exercise of its powers to use the degree of care that a prudent person would use in the conduct of his own affairs. The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or the Indenture or that the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any other holder or that would involve the Trustee in personal liability. Prior to taking any action under the Indenture, the Trustee will be entitled to indemnification satisfactory to it in its sole discretion against all losses and expenses caused by taking or not taking such action.
If a Default occurs and is continuing and is made known to the Trustee, the Trustee must deliver to each holder notice of the Default within 90 days after it occurs. Except in the case of a Default in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note, the Trustee may withhold such notice if and so long as the Trustee in good faith determines that withholding notice is in the interests of the holders. In addition, the Company is required to deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a certificate indicating whether the signers thereof know of any Default that occurred during the previous year. The Company also is required to deliver to the Trustee, within 10 Business Days after the occurrence thereof following the date on which the Company becomes aware of such Default, receives notice of such Default or becomes aware of such action, as applicable, written notice of any Defaults, their status and what action the Company is taking or proposing to take in respect thereof.
Amendments and Waivers
Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture and the Notes may be amended with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes) and, subject to certain exceptions, any past default or compliance with any provisions may be waived with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes). However, without the consent of each holder of an outstanding Note affected, no amendment may, among other things:
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(2) reduce the stated rate of or extend the stated time for payment of interest on any Note;
(3) reduce the principal of or extend the Stated Maturity of any Note;
(4) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes with respect to a nonpayment default and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
(5) reduce the premium payable upon the redemption of any Note as described above under "—Optional Redemption," change the time at which any Note may be redeemed as described above under "—Optional Redemption" or "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control" or make any change relative to our obligation to make an offer to repurchase the Notes as a result of a Change of Control as described above under "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control" after (but not before) the occurrence of such Change of Control;
(6) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Note;
(7) impair the right of any holder to receive payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such holder's Notes on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such holder's Notes;
(8) make any change in the amendment or wavier provisions which require each holder's consent;
(9) modify the Subsidiary Guarantees in any manner adverse to the holders; or
(10) make any change to or modify the ranking of the Notes that would adversely affect the holders.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any holder, the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee may amend the Indenture and the Notes to:
(1) cure any ambiguity, omission, defect, mistake or inconsistency;
(2) provide for the assumption by a successor of the obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Indenture in accordance with "—Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation";
(3) provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes (provided that the uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended);
(4) add Guarantors with respect to the Notes, including Subsidiary Guarantors, or release a Subsidiary Guarantor from its Subsidiary Guarantee and terminate such Subsidiary Guarantee;provided that the release and termination is in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Indenture;
(5) secure the Notes or Subsidiary Guarantees;
(6) add to the covenants of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor for the benefit of the holders or surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor;
(7) make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder;provided, however, that any change to conform the Indenture to this "Description of Notes" section of this offering memorandum will not be deemed to adversely affect such legal rights;
(8) comply with any requirement of the SEC in connection with the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;
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(9) provide for the issuance of Exchange Notes or private exchange notes (which shall be identical to Exchange Notes except that they will not be freely transferable) and which shall be treated, together with any outstanding Notes, as a single class of securities; or
(10) provide for the succession of a successor Trustee,provided that the successor Trustee is otherwise qualified and eligible to act as such under the Indenture.
The consent of the holders is not necessary under the Indenture to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment. It is sufficient if such consent approves the substance of the proposed amendment. A consent to any amendment or waiver under the Indenture by any holder given in connection with a tender of such holder's Notes will not be rendered invalid by such tender. After an amendment or waiver requiring consent of the holders under the Indenture becomes effective, the Company is required to send to the holders a notice briefly describing such amendment or waiver. However, the failure to give such notice to all the holders, or any defect in the notice will not impair or affect the validity of the amendment or waiver.
Defeasance
The Company, at any time may terminate all its obligations under the Notes and the Indenture ("legal defeasance"), except for certain obligations, including those respecting the defeasance trust and obligations to register the transfer or exchange of the Notes, to replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and to maintain a registrar and paying agent in respect of the Notes.
The Company at any time may terminate its obligations described under "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders" and under covenants described under "—Certain Covenants" (other than clauses (1), (2), (4) and (5) of "—Merger and Consolidation"), the operation of the cross default upon a payment default, the cross acceleration provision, the bankruptcy provisions with respect to Significant Subsidiaries, the judgment default provision, the Subsidiary Guarantee provision described in clause (9) under "—Events of Default" above and the limitations contained in clause (3) under "—Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation" above ("covenant defeasance").
If the Company exercises its legal defeasance or its covenant defeasance option, the Subsidiary Guarantees in effect at such time will terminate.
The Company may exercise its legal defeasance option notwithstanding its prior exercise of its covenant defeasance option. If the Company exercises its legal defeasance option, payment of the Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default with respect to the Notes. If the Company exercises its covenant defeasance option, payment of the Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default specified in clause (4) (with respect to covenants that are released as a result of such covenant defeasance), (5) (with respect to covenants that are released as a result of such covenant defeasance), (6), (7) (with respect only to Significant Subsidiaries), (8) or (9) under "—Events of Default" above or because of the failure of the Company to comply with clause (3) under "—Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation" above.
In order to exercise either defeasance option, the Company must, among other things, irrevocably deposit in trust (the "defeasance trust") with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations for the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to redemption or Stated Maturity, as the case may be, and must comply with certain other conditions, including delivery to the Trustee of an Opinion of Counsel (subject to customary exceptions and exclusions) to the effect that holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred. In the case of legal defeasance only, such Opinion of Counsel must be based on a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or other change in applicable federal income tax law.
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In the event of a bankruptcy of the issuer within 90 days of the defeasance of the notes issued under a high-yield indenture, creditors of the bankrupt estate may allege that the deposit to defease the notes constituted a "preference" under U.S. bankruptcy laws.
Satisfaction and Discharge
The Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all Notes issued thereunder, when either:
(1) all Notes that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes that have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, or
(2) all Notes that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable or will become due and payable within one year by reason of the giving of a notice of redemption or otherwise and the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for such purpose, cash in U.S. dollars, U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the Notes not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal and accrued interest to the date of Stated Maturity or redemption (provided that if such redemption is made as provided in the third paragraph under "—Optional Redemption," (x) the amount of cash in U.S. dollars, U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, that must be irrevocably deposited will be determined using an assumed Applicable Premium calculated as of the date of such deposit and (y) the depositor must irrevocably deposit or cause to be deposited additional money in trust on the redemption date as necessary to pay the Applicable Premium as determined by such redemption date), and in each case certain other requirements set forth in the Indenture are satisfied.
No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders
No director, officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder, member, partner or trustee of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Notes, the Indenture or the Subsidiary Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.
Concerning the Trustee
U.S. Bank National Association will act as the Trustee under the Indenture and will be appointed by the Company as registrar and paying agent with regard to the Notes.
The Indenture will contain certain limitations on the rights of the Trustee, should it become a creditor of the Company, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The Trustee will be permitted to engage in other transactions with us or any Subsidiary Guarantor;provided, however, that if it acquires any conflicting interest (as defined in the Trust Indenture Act) while any Default exists it must eliminate such conflict, apply to the SEC for permission to continue as Trustee with such conflict or resign as Trustee within 90 days after ascertaining that it has a conflicting interest.
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Governing Law
The Indenture and the Notes will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
Certain Definitions
"Acquired Indebtedness" means Indebtedness (i) of a Person or any of its Subsidiaries existing at the time such Person becomes or is merged with and into a Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person, in each case whether or not Incurred by such Person in connection with, or in anticipation or contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or such acquisition. Acquired Indebtedness shall be deemed to have been incurred, with respect to clause (i) of the preceding sentence, on the date such Person becomes or is merged with and into a Restricted Subsidiary and, with respect to clause (ii) of the preceding sentence, on the date of consummation of such acquisition of assets.
"Additional Assets" means:
(1) any properties or assets to be used by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in the Oil and Gas Business (excluding working capital);
(2) capital expenditures by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in the Oil and Gas Business;
(3) the Capital Stock of a Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of the acquisition of such Capital Stock by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; or
(4) Capital Stock constituting a Minority Interest in any Person that at such time is a Restricted Subsidiary;
provided, however, that, in the case of clauses (3) and (4), such Restricted Subsidiary is primarily engaged in the Oil and Gas Business.
"Additional Interest" means the interest payable as a consequence of the failure to effectuate in a timely manner the exchange offer and/or shelf registration procedures set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.
"Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets" of the Company means (without duplication), as of the date of determination, the remainder of:
(a) the sum of:
(i) discounted future net revenues from proved oil and gas reserves of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines before any state or federal income taxes, as estimated by the Company in a reserve report prepared as of the end of the Company's most recently completed fiscal year for which audited financial statements are available, as increased by, as of the date of determination, the estimated discounted future net revenues from
(A) estimated proved oil and gas reserves acquired since such year end, which reserves were not reflected in such year end reserve report, and
(B) estimated oil and gas reserves attributable to extensions, discoveries and other additions and upward revisions of estimates of proved oil and gas reserves since such year end due to exploration, development or exploitation, production or other activities, which would, in accordance with standard industry practice, cause such revisions (including the impact to proved reserves and future net revenues from estimated development costs
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incurred and the accretion of discount since such year end), and decreased by, as of the date of determination, the estimated discounted future net revenues from
(C) estimated proved oil and gas reserves produced or disposed of since such year end, and
(D) estimated oil and gas reserves attributable to downward revisions of estimates of proved oil and gas reserves since such year end due to changes in geological conditions or other factors which would, in accordance with standard industry practice, cause such revisions, in each case calculated on a pre-tax basis and substantially in accordance with SEC guidelines,
in the case of clauses (A) through (D) utilizing prices and costs calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines as if the end of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding the date of determination for which such information is available to the Company were year end;provided, however, that in the case of each of the determinations made pursuant to clauses (A) through (D), such increases and decreases shall be as estimated by the Company's petroleum engineers;
(ii) the capitalized costs that are attributable to Oil and Gas Properties of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries to which no proved oil and gas reserves are attributable, based on the Company's books and records as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company's latest available annual or quarterly financial statements;
(iii) the Net Working Capital of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a date no earlier than the date of the Company's latest annual or quarterly financial statements; and
(iv) the greater of
(A) the net book value of other tangible assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company's latest annual or quarterly financial statements, and
(B) the appraised value, as estimated by independent appraisers, of other tangible assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company's latest audited financial statements;provided, that, if no such appraisal has been performed the Company shall not be required to obtain such an appraisal and only clause (iv)(A) of this definition shall apply;
minus
(b) the sum of:
(i) Minority Interests;
(ii) any net gas balancing liabilities of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries reflected in the Company's latest annual or quarterly balance sheet (to the extent not deducted in calculating Net Working Capital of the Company in accordance with clause (a)(iii) above of this definition);
(iii) to the extent included in (a)(i) above, the discounted future net revenues, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (but utilizing prices and costs calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines as if the end of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding the date of determination for which such information is available to the Company were year end), attributable to reserves which are required to be delivered to third parties to fully satisfy the obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to Volumetric
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Production Payments (determined, if applicable, using the schedules specified with respect thereto); and
(iv) the discounted future net revenues, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines, attributable to reserves subject to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments which, based on the estimates of production and price assumptions included in determining the discounted future net revenues specified in (a)(i) above, would be necessary to fully satisfy the payment obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries with respect to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments (determined, if applicable, using the schedules specified with respect thereto).
If the Company changes its method of accounting from the full cost method of accounting to the successful efforts or a similar method, "Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets" will continue to be calculated as if the Company were still using the full cost method of accounting.
"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person, directly or indirectly, controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, "control" when used with respect to any Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
"Asset Disposition" means any direct or indirect sale, lease (other than an operating lease entered into in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business), transfer, issuance or other disposition (including by means of Production Payments and Reserve Sales and a Sale/Leaseback Transaction), or a series of related sales, leases, transfers, issuances or dispositions that are part of a common plan, of (A) any Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Preferred Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries issued in compliance with the covenant described under the heading "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock," and directors' qualifying shares or shares required by applicable law to be held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary), (B) all or substantially all the assets of any division or line of business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (excluding any division or line of business the assets of which are owned by an Unrestricted Subsidiary) or (C) any other assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary outside of the ordinary course of business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary (each referred to for the purposes of this definition as a "disposition"), in each case by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including any disposition by means of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction.
Notwithstanding the preceding, the following items shall not be deemed to be Asset Dispositions:
(1) a disposition by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to a Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) a disposition of cash, Cash Equivalents or other financial assets in the ordinary course of business;
(3) a disposition of Hydrocarbons or mineral products inventory in the ordinary course of business;
(4) a disposition of damaged, unserviceable, obsolete or worn out equipment or equipment that is no longer necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries and that is disposed of in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(5) transactions in accordance with the covenant described under "—Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation";
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(6) an issuance of Capital Stock by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to a Restricted Subsidiary;
(7) for purposes of "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales" only, the making of a Permitted Investment (other than a Permitted Investment to the extent such transaction results in the receipt of cash or Cash Equivalents by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries) or a disposition that is permitted by the covenant described under "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments";
(8) an Asset Swap;
(9) dispositions of assets with a Fair Market Value of less than $15.0 million in a single transaction or a series of related transactions;
(10) Permitted Liens;
(11) dispositions of receivables in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof in the ordinary course of business or in bankruptcy or similar proceedings and exclusive of factoring or similar arrangements;
(12) the licensing or sublicensing of intellectual property (including, without limitation, the licensing of seismic data) or other general intangibles and licenses, leases or subleases of other property in the ordinary course of business which do not materially interfere with the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(13) foreclosure on assets;
(14) any Production Payments and Reserve Sales which have been created, Incurred, issued, assumed or Guaranteed in connection with the financing of, and within 60 days after the acquisition of, the property that is subject thereto,provided that such 60 day requirement shall not apply to incentive compensation programs on terms that are reasonably customary in the Oil and Gas Business for geologists, geophysicists and other providers of technical services to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(15) surrender or waiver of contract rights, oil and gas leases, or the settlement, release or surrender of contract, tort or other claims of any kind;
(16) the abandonment, farmout, lease or sublease of developed or undeveloped Oil and Gas Properties in the ordinary course of business;
(17) a disposition (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) of any Oil and Gas Property or interest therein to which no proved reserves are attributable at the time of such disposition; and
(18) a disposition of Equity Interests in, or Indebtedness or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
"Asset Swap" means any substantially contemporaneous (and in any event occurring within 180 days of each other) purchase and sale or exchange of any oil or natural gas properties or assets or interests therein between the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and another Person;provided, that any cash received must be applied in accordance with "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales" as if the Asset Swap were an Asset Disposition.
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"Average Life" means, as of the date of determination, with respect to any Indebtedness or Preferred Stock, the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the sum of the products of the numbers of years from the date of determination to the dates of each successive scheduled principal payment of such Indebtedness or redemption or similar payment with respect to such Preferred Stock multiplied by the amount of such payment by (2) the sum of all such payments.
"Beneficial Owner" has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular "person" (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), such "person" will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such "person" has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only after the passage of time. The terms "Beneficially Owns" and "Beneficially Owned" have a corresponding meaning. For purposes of this definition, a Person shall not be deemed to Beneficially Own securities that are the subject of a stock purchase agreement, merger agreement or similar agreement until consummation of the transactions or, as applicable, series of related transactions contemplated thereby.
"Board of Directors" means:
(1) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation or (other than for purposes of determining Change of Control) any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors;
(2) with respect to a partnership, the board of directors of the general partner of the partnership; and
(3) with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.
"Borrowing Base" means the "Borrowing Base" (or similar term) as defined under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement as in effect from time to time.
"Business Day" means each day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close.
"Capital Stock" of any Person means any and all shares, units, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including any Preferred Stock and limited liability or partnership interests (whether general or limited), but excluding any debt securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, such equity.
"Capitalized Lease Obligations" means an obligation that is required to be classified and accounted for as a capitalized lease for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation will be the capitalized amount of such obligation at the time any determination thereof is to be made as determined in accordance with GAAP, and the Stated Maturity thereof will be the date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior to the first date such lease may be terminated without penalty. Notwithstanding the preceding, any lease (whether entered into before or after the Issue Date) that would have been classified as an operating lease pursuant to GAAP as in effect on the Issue Date will be deemed not to represent a Capitalized Lease Obligation.
"Cash Equivalents" means:
(1) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States Government or any agency or instrumentality of the United States (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support thereof), having maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition;
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(2) marketable general obligations issued by any state of the United States of America or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within one year from the date of acquisition and, at the time of acquisition, having a credit rating of "A" (or the equivalent thereof) or better from either S&P or Moody's;
(3) certificates of deposit, time deposits, eurodollar time deposits, overnight bank deposits or bankers' acceptances having maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition thereof issued by any commercial bank the short-term deposit of which is rated at the time of acquisition thereof at least "A-2" or the equivalent thereof by S&P, or "P-2" or the equivalent thereof by Moody's, and having combined capital and surplus in excess of $100.0 million;
(4) fully collateralized repurchase obligations with a term of not more than 30 days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (1), (2) and (3) entered into with any bank meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3) above;
(5) commercial paper rated at the time of acquisition thereof at least "A-2" or the equivalent thereof by S&P or "P-2" or the equivalent thereof by Moody's, or carrying an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized rating agency, if both of the two named Rating Agencies cease publishing ratings of investments, and in any case maturing within one year after the date of acquisition thereof; and
(6) interests in any investment company or money market fund which invests 95% or more of its assets in instruments of the type specified in clauses (1) through (5) above.
"Change of Control" means:
(1) any "person" or "group" of related persons (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act), is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company (or its successor by merger, consolidation or purchase of all or substantially all of its assets) (for the purposes of this clause (1), such person or group shall be deemed to Beneficially Own any Voting Stock of the Company held by a parent entity, if such person or group Beneficially Owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of such parent entity);
(2) the merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person or the merger of another Person with or into the Company, unless the holders of a majority of the aggregate voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company, immediately prior to such transaction, hold securities of the surviving or transferee Person that represent, immediately after such transaction, at least a majority of the aggregate voting power of the Voting Stock of the surviving or transferee Person;
(3) the sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any "person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act); or
(4) the adoption by the shareholders of the Company of a plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
"Commodity Agreements" means, in respect of any Person, any forward contract, commodity swap agreement, commodity option agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement in respect of Hydrocarbons used, produced, processed or sold by such Person that are customary in the Oil and Gas Business and designed to protect such Person against fluctuation in Hydrocarbon prices.
"Common Stock" means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests or other participations in, and other equivalents (however designated and whether voting or nonvoting) of such
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Person's common stock whether or not outstanding on the Issue Date, and includes, without limitation, all series and classes of such common stock.
"Consolidated Coverage Ratio" means as of any date of determination, the ratio of (x) the aggregate amount of Consolidated EBITDA of the Company for the period of the most recent four consecutive fiscal quarters ending prior to the date of such determination for which financial statements are in existence to (y) its Consolidated Interest Expense for such four fiscal quarters,provided, however, that:
(1) if the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary:
(a) has Incurred any Indebtedness since the beginning of such period that remains outstanding on such date of determination or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Coverage Ratio is an Incurrence of Indebtedness, Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving effect on apro forma basis to such Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof as if such Indebtedness had been Incurred on the first day of such period and such proceeds had been applied as of such date (except that in making such computation, the amount of Indebtedness under any revolving Credit Facility outstanding on the date of such calculation will be deemed to be (i) the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during such four fiscal quarters or such shorter period for which such facility was outstanding or (ii) if such revolving Credit Facility was created after the end of such four fiscal quarters, the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the period from the date of creation of such revolving Credit Facility to the date of such calculation, in each case,provided that such average daily balance shall take into account any repayment of Indebtedness under such revolving Credit Facility as provided in clause (b)); or
(b) has repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged any Indebtedness since the beginning of the period, including with the proceeds of such new Indebtedness, that is no longer outstanding on such date of determination or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Coverage Ratio involves a discharge of Indebtedness (in each case other than Indebtedness Incurred under any revolving Credit Facility unless such Indebtedness has been permanently repaid and the related commitment terminated and not replaced), Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving effect on apro forma basis to such discharge of such Indebtedness as if such discharge had occurred on the first day of such period;
(2) if, since the beginning of such period, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary has made any Asset Disposition or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Coverage Ratio is such an Asset Disposition, the Consolidated EBITDA for such period will be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if positive) directly attributable to the assets which are the subject of such Asset Disposition for such period or increased by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if negative) directly attributable thereto for such period and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated Interest Expense directly attributable to any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged with respect to the Company and its continuing Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with or with the proceeds from such Asset Disposition for such period (or, if the Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary is sold, the Consolidated Interest Expense for such period directly attributable to the Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiary to the extent the Company and its continuing Restricted Subsidiaries are no longer liable for such Indebtedness after such sale);
(3) if, since the beginning of such period, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (by merger or otherwise) has made an Investment in any Restricted Subsidiary (or any Person which
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becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged with or into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) or an acquisition (or will have received a contribution) of assets, including any acquisition or contribution of assets occurring in connection with a transaction causing a calculation to be made under the Indenture, which constitutes all or substantially all of a company, division, operating unit, segment, business, group of related assets or line of business, Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after givingpro forma effect thereto (including the Incurrence of any Indebtedness) as if such Investment or acquisition or contribution had occurred on the first day of such period; and
(4) if, since the beginning of such period, any Person (that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of such period) made any Asset Disposition or any Investment or acquisition of assets that would have required an adjustment pursuant to clause (2) or (3) above if made by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary during such period, Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after givingpro forma effect thereto as if such Asset Disposition or Investment or acquisition of assets had occurred on the first day of such period.
For purposes of this definition, wheneverpro forma effect is to be given to any calculation under this definition, thepro forma calculations will be determined in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company;provided that such officer may in his or her discretion include any reasonably identifiable and factually supportablepro forma changes to Consolidated EBITDA, including anypro forma expenses and cost reductions, that have occurred or in the judgment of such officer are reasonably expected to occur within 12 months of the date of the applicable transaction (regardless of whether such expense or cost reduction or any other operating improvements could then be reflected properly inpro forma financial statements prepared in accordance with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act or any other regulation or policy of the SEC). If any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest and is being givenpro forma effect, the interest expense on such Indebtedness will be calculated as if the average rate in effect from the beginning of such period to the date of determination had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Interest Rate Agreement applicable to such Indebtedness, but if the remaining term of such Interest Rate Agreement is less than 12 months, then such Interest Rate Agreement shall only be taken into account for that portion of the period equal to the remaining term thereof). If any Indebtedness that is being givenpro forma effect bears an interest rate at the option of the Company, the interest rate shall be calculated by applying such optional rate chosen by the Company. Interest on Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a Eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be deemed to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or, if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Company may designate.
"Consolidated EBITDA" for any period means, without duplication, the Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus the following, without duplication and to the extent deducted (and not added back) in calculating such Consolidated Net Income:
(1) Consolidated Interest Expense;
(2) Consolidated Income Tax Expense;
(3) consolidated depletion and depreciation expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(4) consolidated amortization expense or impairment charges of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries recorded in connection with the application of FASB ASC Topic No. 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Others, and FASB ASC Topic No. 360, Property, Plant and Equipment;
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(5) other non-cash charges of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (excluding any such non-cash charge to the extent it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash charges in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was paid in a prior period not included in the calculation); and
(6) consolidated exploration and abandonment expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries if applicable to the Company after the Issue Date,
andless, to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income and in excess of any costs or expenses attributable thereto that were deducted (and not added back) in calculating such Consolidated Net Income, the sum of (x) the amount of deferred revenues that are amortized during such period and are attributable to reserves that are subject to Volumetric Production Payments, (y) amounts recorded in accordance with GAAP as repayments of principal and interest pursuant to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments and (z) other non-cash gains (excluding any non-cash gain to the extent it represents the reversal of an accrual or reserve for a potential cash item that reduced Consolidated EBITDA in any prior period).
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, clauses (2) through (6) relating to amounts of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company will be added to Consolidated Net Income to compute Consolidated EBITDA of the Company only to the extent (and in the same proportion) that the net income (loss) of such Restricted Subsidiary was included in calculating the Consolidated Net Income of the Company and, to the extent the amounts set forth in clauses (2) through (6) are in excess of those necessary to offset a net loss of such Restricted Subsidiary or if such Restricted Subsidiary has net income for such period included in Consolidated Net Income, only if a corresponding amount would be permitted at the date of determination to be dividended to the Company by such Restricted Subsidiary without prior approval, pursuant to the terms of its charter and all agreements, instruments, judgments, decrees, orders, statutes, rules and governmental regulations applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or the holders of its Capital Stock.
"Consolidated Income Tax Expense" means, with respect to any period, the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes (including state franchise taxes accounted for as income taxes in accordance with GAAP) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period as determined in accordance with GAAP.
"Consolidated Interest Expense" means, for any period, the total consolidated interest expense (less interest income) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, whether paid or accrued, plus, to the extent not included in such interest expense and without duplication:
(1) interest expense attributable to Capitalized Lease Obligations and the interest component of any deferred payment obligations;
(2) amortization of debt discount and debt issuance cost (provided that any amortization of bond premium will be credited to reduce Consolidated Interest Expense unless, pursuant to GAAP, such amortization of bond premium has otherwise reduced Consolidated Interest Expense);
(3) non-cash interest expense;
(4) commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers' acceptance financing;
(5) the interest expense on Indebtedness of another Person that is Guaranteed by the Company or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries or secured by a Lien on assets of the Company or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries, to the extent such Guarantee becomes payable or such Lien becomes subject to foreclosure;
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(6) cash costs associated with Interest Rate Agreements (including amortization of fees);provided,however, that if Interest Rate Agreements result in net cash benefits rather than costs, such benefits shall be credited to reduce Consolidated Interest Expense unless, pursuant to GAAP, such net benefits are otherwise reflected in Consolidated Net Income;
(7) the consolidated interest expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period; and
(8) all dividends paid or payable in cash, Cash Equivalents or Indebtedness or accrued during such period on any series of Disqualified Stock of the Company or on Preferred Stock of its Restricted Subsidiaries payable to a party other than the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary,
minus, to the extent included above, any interest attributable to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments to the extent that such Dollar-Denominated Production Payments are excluded from the definition of "Indebtedness".
For the purpose of calculating the Consolidated Coverage Ratio in connection with the Incurrence of any Indebtedness described in the final paragraph of the definition of "Indebtedness," the calculation of Consolidated Interest Expense shall include all interest expense (including any amounts described in clauses (1) through (8) above) relating to any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary described in the final paragraph of the definition of "Indebtedness."
"Consolidated Net Income" means, for any period, the aggregate net income (loss) of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of Preferred Stock dividends of such Person;provided, however, that there will not be included (to the extent otherwise included therein) in such Consolidated Net Income:
(1) any net income (loss) of any Person (other than the Company) if such Person is not a Restricted Subsidiary, except that:
(a) subject to the limitations contained in clauses (3) and (4) below, the Company's equity in the net income of any such Person for such period will be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Person during such period to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution to a Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitations contained in clause (2) below); and
(b) the Company's equity in a net loss of any such Person for such period will be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income to the extent such loss has been funded with cash from the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary during such period;
(2) any net income (but not loss) of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than a Subsidiary Guarantor) if such Subsidiary is subject to prior government approval or other restrictions due to the operation of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment decree, order, statute, rule or government regulation (which have not been waived), directly or indirectly, on the payment of dividends or the making of distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary, to the Company, except that:
(a) subject to the limitations contained in clauses (3), (4) and (5) below, the Company's equity in the net income of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period will be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash that could have been distributed by such Restricted Subsidiary during such period to the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution paid to another Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitation contained in this clause); and
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(b) the Company's equity in a net loss of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period will be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income;
(3) any gain (loss) realized upon the sale or other disposition of any property, plant or equipment of the Company or its consolidated Subsidiaries (including pursuant to any Sale/Leaseback Transaction) which is not sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business and any gain (loss) realized upon the sale or other disposition of any Capital Stock of any Person;
(4) any extraordinary or nonrecurring gains or losses, together with any related provision for taxes on such gains or losses and all related fees and expenses;
(5) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles;
(6) any asset impairment writedowns on Oil and Gas Properties under GAAP or SEC guidelines;
(7) any unrealized non-cash gains or losses or charges in respect of Hedging Obligations (including those resulting from the application of FASB ASC Topic No. 815, Derivatives and Hedging);
(8) income or loss attributable to discontinued operations (including, without limitation, operations disposed of during such period whether or not such operations were classified as discontinued);
(9) all deferred financing costs written off, and premiums paid, in connection with any early extinguishment of Indebtedness; and
(10) any non-cash compensation charge arising from any grant of stock, stock options or other equity based awards;provided that the proceeds resulting from any such grant will be excluded from clause (c)(ii) of the first paragraph of the covenant described under "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments."
"Credit Facility" means, with respect to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, one or more debt facilities (including, without limitation, the Senior Secured Credit Agreement), indentures or commercial paper facilities providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, capital market financings, receivables financings (including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such lenders against such receivables) or letters of credit, in each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced in whole or in part from time to time (and whether or not with the original administrative agent and lenders or another administrative agent or agents or other lenders or investors and whether provided under the original Senior Secured Credit Agreement or any other credit or other agreement or indenture).
"Currency Agreement" means in respect of a Person any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement, futures contract, option contract or other similar agreement as to which such Person is a party or a beneficiary.
"Customary Recourse Exceptions" means, with respect to any Non-Recourse Debt of an Unrestricted Subsidiary, exclusions from the exculpation provisions with respect to such Non-Recourse Debt for the voluntary bankruptcy of such Unrestricted Subsidiary, fraud, misapplication of cash, environmental claims, waste, willful destruction and other circumstances customarily excluded by lenders from exculpation provisions or included in separate indemnification agreements in non-recourse financings.
"Default" means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.
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"Disqualified Stock" means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of such Person which by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock or upon the happening of any event:
(1) matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than redeemable only for Capital Stock of such Person which is not itself Disqualified Stock) pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise;
(2) is convertible or exchangeable for Disqualified Stock or other Indebtedness (excluding Capital Stock which is convertible or exchangeable solely at the option of such Person or one of its Subsidiaries); or
(3) is redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock in whole or in part,
in each case on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the earlier of the date (a) of the Stated Maturity of the Notes or (b) on which there are no Notes outstanding;provided that only the portion of Capital Stock which so matures or is mandatorily redeemable, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date will be deemed to be Disqualified Stock;provided, further, that any Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders thereof have the right to require the Company to repurchase such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale (each defined in a substantially identical manner to the corresponding definitions in the Indenture) shall not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of such Capital Stock (and all such securities into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) provide that (i) the Company may not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock (and all such securities into which it is convertible or for which it is ratable or exchangeable) pursuant to such provision prior to compliance by the Company with the provisions of the Indenture described under the captions "—Repurchase at the Option of Holder—Change of Control" and "—Repurchase at the Option of Holder—Asset Sales" and (ii) such repurchase or redemption will be permitted solely to the extent also permitted in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture described under the caption "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments."
"Dollar-Denominated Production Payments" means production payment obligations recorded as liabilities in accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.
"Domestic Subsidiary" means any Restricted Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia.
"Equity Interests" means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).
"Equity Offering" means a public or private offering for cash by the Company of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock), other than (1) public offerings with respect to the Company's Common Stock or options, registered on Form S-4 or S-8, (2) an issuance to a Subsidiary or (3) any offering of Common Stock issued in connection with a transaction that constitutes a Change of Control.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
"Exchange Notes" means Notes issued in a registered exchange offer pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.
"Existing Convertible Notes" means $1.636 million aggregate principal amount of the Company's 12% secured convertible bonds due 2020 and 2022 issued under the indentures (as amended, modified or supplemented) dated as of June 1, 1997 and February 1, 1998, respectively, between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.
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"Fair Market Value" means, with respect to any asset or property, the sale value that would be obtained in an arm's-length free market transaction between an informed and willing seller under no compulsion to sell and an informed and willing buyer under no compulsion to buy. Fair Market Value of an asset or property in excess of $15.0 million shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company acting in good faith, whose determination shall be conclusive and evidenced by a resolution of such Board of Directors, and any lesser Fair Market Value may be determined by an officer of the Company acting in good faith.
"Foreign Subsidiary" means any Restricted Subsidiary that is not organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia.
"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time. All ratios and computations based on GAAP contained in the Indenture will be computed in conformity with GAAP.
"Guarantee" means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person and any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person:
(1) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise); or
(2) entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part);
provided, however, that the term "Guarantee" will not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business or any obligation to the extent it is payable only in Capital Stock of the Guarantor that is not Disqualified Stock. The term "Guarantee" used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
"Guarantor Subordinated Obligation" means, with respect to a Subsidiary Guarantor, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary Guarantor (whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter Incurred) which is expressly subordinate in right of payment to the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to a written agreement.
"Hedging Obligations" of any Person means the obligations of such Person pursuant to any Interest Rate Agreement, Currency Agreement or Commodity Agreement.
"holder" means a Person in whose name a Note is registered on the registrar's books.
"Hydrocarbons" means oil, natural gas, casing head gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all constituents, elements or compounds thereof and products refined or processed therefrom.
"Incur" means issue, create, assume, Guarantee, incur or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable for, contingently or otherwise;provided, however, that any Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition or otherwise) will be deemed to be Incurred by such Restricted Subsidiary at the time it becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; and the terms "Incurred" and "Incurrence" have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
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"Indebtedness" means, with respect to any Person on any date of determination (without duplication, whether or not contingent):
(1) the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money;
(2) the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments;
(3) the principal component of all obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit, bankers' acceptances or other similar instruments (including reimbursement obligations with respect thereto except to the extent such reimbursement obligation relates to a trade payable and except to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such obligation is satisfied within 30 days of payment on the letter of credit);
(4) the principal component of all obligations of such Person (other than obligations payable solely in Capital Stock that is not Disqualified Stock) to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of property (except as described in clause (8) of the second succeeding paragraph of this definition of "Indebtedness"), which purchase price is due more than six months after the date of placing such property in service or taking delivery and title thereto to the extent such obligations would appear as liabilities upon the consolidated balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP;
(5) Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person to the extent such Capitalized Lease Obligations would appear as liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP;
(6) the principal component or liquidation preference of all obligations of such Person with respect to the redemption, repayment or other repurchase of any Disqualified Stock or, with respect to any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary, any Preferred Stock (but excluding, in each case, any accrued dividends);
(7) the principal component of all Indebtedness of other Persons secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person;provided, however, that the amount of such Indebtedness will be the lesser of (a) the Fair Market Value of such asset at such date of determination and (b) the amount of such Indebtedness of such other Persons;
(8) the principal component of Indebtedness of other Persons to the extent Guaranteed by such Person;
(9) to the extent not otherwise included in this definition, net obligations of such Person under Hedging Obligations (the amount of any such obligations to be equal at any time to the termination value of such agreement or arrangement giving rise to such obligation that would be payable by such Person at such time); and
(10) any Guarantee by such Person of production or payment with respect to a Production Payment (but not any other contractual obligation in respect of such Production Payment)
provided, however, that any Indebtedness which has been defeased in accordance with GAAP or defeased pursuant to the deposit of cash or Cash Equivalents (in an amount sufficient to satisfy all such Indebtedness at stated maturity or redemption, as applicable, and all payments of interest and premium, if any) in a trust or account created or pledged for the sole benefit of the holders of such Indebtedness, and subject to no other Liens, shall not constitute "Indebtedness."
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In addition, "Indebtedness" of any Person shall include Indebtedness described in the first paragraph of this definition of "Indebtedness" that would not appear as a liability on the balance sheet of such Person if:
(1) such Indebtedness is the obligation of a partnership or joint venture that is not a Subsidiary of such Person (a "Joint Venture");
(2) such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is a general partner of the Joint Venture or otherwise liable for all or a portion of the Joint Venture's liabilities (a "General Partner"); and
(3) there is recourse, by contract or operation of law, with respect to the payment of such Indebtedness to property or assets of such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person; and then such Indebtedness shall be included in an amount not to exceed:
(a) the lesser of (i) the net assets of the General Partner and (ii) the amount of such obligations to the extent that there is recourse, by contract or operation of law, to the property or assets of such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person; or
(b) if less than the amount determined pursuant to clause (a) immediately above, the actual amount of such Indebtedness that is with recourse to such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person, if the Indebtedness is evidenced by a writing and is for a determinable amount and the related interest expense shall be included in Consolidated Interest Expense to the extent actually paid by such Person and its Subsidiaries.
Notwithstanding the preceding, "Indebtedness" of a Person shall not include:
(1) except as provided in clause (10) of the first paragraph of this definition, Production Payments and Reserve Sales;
(2) any obligation of such Person in respect of a farm-in agreement or similar arrangement whereby such Person agrees to pay all or a share of the drilling, completion or other expenses of an exploratory or development well (which agreement may be subject to a maximum payment obligation, after which expenses are shared in accordance with the working or participation interest therein or in accordance with the agreement of the parties) or perform the drilling, completion or other operation on such well in exchange for an ownership interest in an oil or gas property;
(3) any obligations under Currency Agreements, Commodity Agreements and Interest Rate Agreements;provided that such Agreements are entered into for bona fide hedging purposes of such Person or its Subsidiaries (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors or Senior Management of the Person, whether or not accounted for as a hedge in accordance with GAAP) and, in the case of Currency Agreements or Commodity Agreements, such Currency Agreements or Commodity Agreements are related to business transactions of the Person or its Subsidiaries entered into in the ordinary course of business and, in the case of Interest Rate Agreements, such Interest Rate Agreements substantially correspond in terms of notional amount, duration and interest rates, as applicable, to Indebtedness of the Person or its Subsidiaries Incurred without violation of the Indenture;
(4) any obligation of such Person or a Subsidiary thereof providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price, holdbacks, contingency payment obligations or similar obligations, in each case, Incurred or assumed in connection with the acquisition or disposition of any business or assets of the Person or any business, assets or Capital Stock of a Subsidiary thereof, other than Guarantees of Indebtedness Incurred by the Person or a Subsidiary thereof acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or Capital Stock of a Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such acquisition;provided that:
(a) the maximum aggregate liability in respect of all such obligations shall at no time exceed the gross proceeds, including non-cash proceeds (the Fair Market Value of such
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non-cash proceeds being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value) actually received by such Person and its Subsidiaries in connection with such disposition; and
(b) such obligations are not reflected on the consolidated balance sheet of the Person (contingent obligations referred to in a footnote to financial statements and not otherwise reflected on the balance sheet will not be deemed to be reflected on such balance sheet for purposes of this clause (4));
(5) any obligation arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument (including daylight overdrafts) drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business,provided, however, that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five Business Days of Incurrence;
(6) in-kind obligations relating to net oil or natural gas balancing positions arising in the ordinary course of business;
(7) all contracts and other obligations, agreements, instruments or arrangements described in clause (20), (21) or (28)(a) of the definition of "Permitted Liens";
(8) accrued expenses and trade payables and other accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business that are not overdue by 90 days past the invoice or billing date or more or are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted; and
(9) any repayment or reimbursement obligation of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to Customary Recourse Exceptions, unless and until an event or circumstance occurs that triggers the Person's or such Subsidiary's direct repayment or reimbursement obligation (as opposed to contingent or performance obligations) to the lender or other Person to whom such obligation is actually owed, in which case the amount of such direct payment or reimbursement obligation shall constitute Indebtedness.
In addition, money borrowed and set aside at the time of the Incurrence of any Indebtedness in order to pre-fund the payment of interest on such Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be "Indebtedness";provided that such money is held to secure the payment of such interest.
The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date shall (i) be the accreted value thereof in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount or the aggregate principal amount outstanding in the case of Indebtedness issued with interest payable in kind and (ii) include any interest (or in the case of Preferred Stock, dividends) thereon that is more than 30 days past due. Except to the extent provided in the preceding sentence, the amount of any Indebtedness that is convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock of the Company outstanding as of any date shall be deemed to be equal to the principal and premium, if any, in respect of such Indebtedness, notwithstanding the provisions of GAAP (including Accounting Standards Codification Topic 470-20,Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options).
"interest" with respect to the Notes means interest with respect thereto and Additional Interest, if any.
"Interest Rate Agreement" means with respect to any Person any interest rate protection agreement, interest rate future agreement, interest rate option agreement, interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate hedge agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement as to which such Person is party or a beneficiary.
"Investment" means, with respect to any Person, all investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the form of any direct or indirect advance, loan or other extensions of credit
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(including by way of Guarantee or similar arrangement, but excluding any debt or extension of credit represented by a bank deposit other than a time deposit and advances or extensions of credit to customers in the ordinary course of business) or capital contribution to (by means of any transfer of cash or other property to others or any payment for property or services for the account or use of others), or any purchase or acquisition of Capital Stock, Indebtedness or other similar instruments (excluding any interest in a crude oil or natural gas leasehold to the extent constituting a security under applicable law) issued by, such other Person and all other items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP;provided that none of the following will be deemed to be an Investment:
(1) Hedging Obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business and in compliance with the Indenture;
(2) endorsements of negotiable instruments and documents in the ordinary course of business; and
(3) an acquisition of assets, Capital Stock or other securities by such Person or a Subsidiary for consideration to the extent such consideration consists of Common Stock of such Person.
Except as provided in the next paragraph, the amount of any Investment shall not be adjusted for increases or decreases in value, write-ups, writedowns or write-offs with respect to such Investment.
For purposes of the definition of "Unrestricted Subsidiary" and the covenant described under "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments,"
(1) "Investment" will include the portion (proportionate to the Company's equity interest in a Restricted Subsidiary to be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Restricted Subsidiary at the time that such Restricted Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary;provided, however, that upon a re-designation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the Company will be deemed to continue to have a permanent "Investment" in an Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount (if positive) equal to
(a) the Company's aggregate "Investment" in such Subsidiary at the time of such re-designation less
(b) the portion (proportionate to the Company's equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time that such Subsidiary is so re-designated as a Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be valued at its Fair Market Value at the time of such transfer; and
(3) if the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary sells or otherwise disposes of any Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary such that, after giving effect to any such sale or disposition, such entity is no longer a Subsidiary of the Company, then the Company shall be deemed to have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or disposition equal to the Fair Market Value of the Capital Stock of such former Subsidiary not sold or disposed of.
"Investment Grade Rating" means a rating equal to or higher than:
(1) Baa3 (or the equivalent) with a stable or better outlook by Moody's; or
(2) BBB– (or the equivalent) with a stable or better outlook by S&P,
or, if either such entity ceases to make a rating on the Notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Company's control, the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any other Rating Agency.
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"Investment Grade Rating Event" means the first day on which the Notes have an Investment Grade Rating from at least one Rating Agency, and no Default has occurred and is then continuing under the Indenture.
"Issue Date" means the first date on which Notes are issued under the Indenture.
"Lien" means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien (statutory or otherwise), pledge, hypothecation, charge, security interest, preference, priority or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction;provided that in no event shall an operating lease be deemed to constitute a Lien.
"Minority Interest" means the percentage interest represented by any class of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary that are not owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary.
"Moody's" means Moody's Investors Service, Inc., or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.
"Net Available Cash" from an Asset Disposition means cash payments received (including any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise and net proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any securities received as consideration, but only as and when received, but excluding any other consideration received in the form of assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness or other obligations relating to the properties or assets that are the subject of such Asset Disposition or received in any other non-cash form, including consideration deemed to be cash pursuant to the second paragraph of the covenant described under "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales") therefrom, in each case net of:
(1) all legal, accounting, investment banking, title and recording tax expenses, commissions and other fees and expenses Incurred, and all federal, state, provincial, foreign and local taxes required to be paid or accrued as a liability under GAAP (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing agreements), as a consequence of such Asset Disposition;
(2) all payments made on any Indebtedness which is secured by any assets subject to such Asset Disposition, in accordance with the terms of any Lien upon such assets, or which must by its terms, or in order to obtain a necessary consent to such Asset Disposition, or by applicable law be repaid out of the proceeds from such Asset Disposition;
(3) all distributions and other payments required to be made to minority interest holders in Subsidiaries or joint ventures or to holders of royalty or similar interests as a result of such Asset Disposition; and
(4) the deduction of appropriate amounts to be provided by the seller as a reserve, in accordance with GAAP, against any liabilities associated with the assets disposed of in such Asset Disposition and retained by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary after such Asset Disposition;
provided, however, that if any consideration for an Asset Disposition (that would otherwise constitute Net Available Cash) is required to be held in escrow pending determination of whether or not a purchase price adjustment will be made, such consideration (or any portion thereof) shall become Net Available Cash only at such time as it is released to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from escrow.
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"Net Cash Proceeds," with respect to any issuance or sale of Capital Stock or any contribution to equity capital, means the cash proceeds of such issuance, sale or contribution net of attorneys' fees, accountants' fees, underwriters' or placement agents' fees, listing fees, discounts or commissions and brokerage, consultant and other fees and charges actually Incurred in connection with such issuance, sale or contribution and net of taxes paid or payable as a result of such issuance or sale (after taking into account any available tax credit or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements).
"Net Working Capital" means (a) all current assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, except current assets from commodity price risk management activities arising in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business, less (b) all current liabilities of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, except any current liabilities included in Indebtedness or from commodity price risk management activities arising in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business, in each case as set forth in the consolidated financial statements of the Company prepared in accordance with GAAP.
"Non-Guarantor Subsidiary" means any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor.
"Non-Recourse Debt" means Indebtedness of a Person:
(1) as to which neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary (a) provides any Guarantee or credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, guarantee, indemnity, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness) or (b) is directly or indirectly liable (as a guarantor or otherwise), except for Customary Recourse Exceptions;
(2) no default with respect to which (including any rights that the holders thereof may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would permit (upon notice, lapse of time or both) any holder of any other Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to declare a default under such other Indebtedness or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity; and
(3) the explicit terms of which provide there is no recourse against any of the assets of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries, except for Customary Recourse Exceptions.
"Officer" means the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company. Officer of any Subsidiary Guarantor has a correlative meaning.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by two Officers of the Company.
"Oil and Gas Business" means:
(1) the business of acquiring, exploring, exploiting, developing, producing, operating and disposing of interests in oil, natural gas, liquefied natural gas and other Hydrocarbon and mineral properties or products produced in association with any of the foregoing;
(2) the business of gathering, marketing, distributing, treating, processing, storing, refining, selling and transporting of any production from such interests or properties and products produced in association therewith and the marketing of oil, natural gas, other Hydrocarbons and minerals obtained from unrelated Persons;
(3) any other related energy business, including power generation and electrical transmission business, directly or indirectly, from oil, natural gas and other Hydrocarbons and minerals produced substantially from properties in which the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, participate;
(4) any business relating to oil field sales and service; and
(5) any business or activity relating to, arising from, or necessary, appropriate or incidental to the activities described in the foregoing clauses (1) through (4) of this definition.
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"Oil and Gas Properties" means all properties, including equity or other ownership interests therein, owned by a Person which contain or are believed to contain oil and gas reserves.
"Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion from legal counsel who is acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or the Trustee.
"Pari Passu Indebtedness" means any Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor that ranks equally in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees, as the case may be.
"Permitted Acquisition Indebtedness" means Indebtedness (including Disqualified Stock) of the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent such Indebtedness was Indebtedness:
(1) of an acquired Person prior to the date on which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of having been acquired and not incurred in contemplation of such acquisition; or
(2) of a Person that was merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Indebtedness Incurred (a) to provide all or any portion of the funds utilized to consummate the transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which such Restricted Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary or was otherwise acquired by the Company or (b) otherwise in connection with, or in contemplation of, such merger, consolidation or amalgamation),
provided, in each case that on the date such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or the date such Person was merged, consolidated and amalgamated with or into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, after givingpro forma effect thereto,
(a) the Restricted Subsidiary or the Company, as applicable, would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Consolidated Coverage Ratio test described under "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock," or
(b) the Consolidated Coverage Ratio for the Company would be greater than the Consolidated Coverage Ratio for the Company immediately prior to such transaction.
"Permitted Business Investment" means any Investment made in the ordinary course of, and of a nature that is or shall have become customary in, the Oil and Gas Business including investments or expenditures for actively exploiting, exploring for, acquiring, developing, producing, processing, gathering, marketing or transporting oil, natural gas or other Hydrocarbons and minerals through agreements, transactions, interests or arrangements which permit one to share risks or costs, comply with regulatory requirements regarding local ownership or satisfy other objectives customarily achieved through the conduct of the Oil and Gas Business jointly with third parties including:
(1) ownership interests in oil, natural gas, other Hydrocarbons and minerals properties, liquefied natural gas facilities, processing facilities, gathering systems, pipelines, storage facilities or related systems or ancillary real property interests;
(2) Investments in the form of or pursuant to operating agreements, working interests, royalty interests, mineral leases, processing agreements, farm-in agreements, farm-out agreements, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of oil, natural gas, other Hydrocarbons and minerals, production sharing agreements, participation agreements, development agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, unitization agreements, pooling agreements, joint bidding agreements, service contracts, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements (whether general or limited), subscription agreements, stock purchase agreements, stockholder agreements and other similar agreements (including for limited liability companies) with third parties; and
(3) direct or indirect ownership interests in drilling rigs and related equipment, including, without limitation, transportation equipment.
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"Permitted Investment" means an Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in:
(1) the Company (including by way of an Investment in the Notes) or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) another Person whose primary business is the Oil and Gas Business if as a result of such Investment such other Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys all or substantially all its assets to, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and, in each case, any Investment held by such Person;provided that such Investment was not acquired by such Person in contemplation of such acquisition, merger, consolidation or transfer;
(3) cash and Cash Equivalents;
(4) receivables owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary created or acquired in the ordinary course of business and payable or dischargeable in accordance with customary trade terms;provided, however, that such trade terms may include such concessionary trade terms as the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary deems reasonable under the circumstances;
(5) payroll, commission, travel, relocation and similar advances to cover matters that are expected at the time of such advances ultimately to be treated as expenses for accounting purposes and that are made in the ordinary course of business;
(6) loans or advances to employees made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary in an aggregate amount not in excess of $2.0 million with respect to all loans or advances made since the Issue Date (without giving effect to any forgiveness of such loan);
(7) Capital Stock, obligations or securities received in settlement of debts (x) created in the ordinary course of business and owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or in satisfaction of judgments or (y) pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement in a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding;
(8) any Person as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from an Asset Disposition that was made pursuant to and in compliance with the covenant described under "—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales";
(9) Investments in existence on the Issue Date;
(10) Commodity Agreements, Currency Agreements, Interest Rate Agreements and related Hedging Obligations, which transactions or obligations are Incurred in compliance with "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock";
(11) Guarantees issued in accordance with the covenant described under "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock";
(12) Permitted Business Investments;
(13) any Person where such Investment was acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the issuer of such other Investment or accounts receivable or (b) as a result of a foreclosure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default;
(14) any Person to the extent such Investments consist of prepaid expenses, negotiable instruments held for collection and lease, utility and workers' compensation, performance and other similar deposits made in the ordinary course of business by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
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(15) Guarantees of performance or other obligations (other than Indebtedness) arising in the ordinary course in the Oil and Gas Business, including obligations under oil and natural gas exploration, development, joint operating, and related agreements and licenses, concessions or operating leases related to the Oil and Gas Business;
(16) Investments in the Notes; and
(17) Investments by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, together with all other Investments pursuant to this clause (17), in an aggregate amount outstanding at the time of such Investment not to exceed the greater of $15.0 million and 2.0% of the Company's Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets (with the Fair Market Value of such Investment being measured at the time such Investment is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value);provided, however, that if any Investment pursuant to this clause (17) is made in any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary at the date of the making of such Investment and such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after such date, such Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (1) above and shall cease to have been made pursuant to this clause (17) for so long as such Person continues to be a Restricted Subsidiary.
"Permitted Liens" means, with respect to any Person:
(1) Liens securing Indebtedness under a Credit Facility permitted to be Incurred under the provisions described in clause (1) of the second paragraph of "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock";
(2) pledges or deposits by such Person under workers' compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws, social security or old age pension laws or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness) or leases to which such Person is a party, or deposits (which may be secured by a Lien) to secure public or statutory obligations of such Person including letters of credit and bank guarantees required or requested by the United States, any State thereof or any foreign government or any subdivision, department, agency, organization or instrumentality of any of the foregoing in connection with any contract or statute (including lessee or operator obligations under statutes, governmental regulations, contracts or instruments related to the ownership, exploration and production of oil, natural gas, other hydrocarbons and minerals on State, Federal or foreign lands or waters), or deposits of cash or United States government bonds to secure indemnity performance, surety or appeal bonds or other similar bonds to which such Person is a party, or deposits as security for contested taxes or import or customs duties or for the payment of rent, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(3) statutory and contractual Liens of landlords and Liens imposed by law, including carriers', warehousemen's, mechanics', materialmen's and repairmen's Liens, in each case for sums not yet due or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings if a reserve or other appropriate provisions, if any, as shall be required by GAAP shall have been made in respect thereof;
(4) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or claims not yet subject to penalties for non-payment or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;provided that appropriate reserves, if any, required pursuant to GAAP have been made in respect thereof;
(5) Liens in favor of issuers of surety or performance bonds or bankers' acceptances issued pursuant to the request of and for the account of such Person in the ordinary course of its business;
(6) survey exceptions, encumbrances, ground leases, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights of way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other
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similar purposes, or zoning, building codes or other restrictions (including, without limitation, minor defects or irregularities in title and similar encumbrances) as to the use of real properties or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties which do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of the assets of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person;
(7) Liens securing Hedging Obligations that are Incurred in the ordinary course of business (and not for speculative purposes);
(8) leases, licenses, subleases and sublicenses of assets (including, without limitation, real property and intellectual property rights) which do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(9) prejudgment Liens and judgment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default so long as such Lien is adequately bonded and any appropriate legal proceedings which may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment have not been finally terminated or the period within which such proceedings may be initiated has not expired;
(10) Liens for the purpose of securing the payment of all or a part of the purchase price of, or Capitalized Lease Obligations, purchase money obligations or other payments Incurred to finance the acquisition, lease, improvement or construction of or repairs or additions to, assets or property acquired or constructed in the ordinary course of business;provided that:
(a) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness secured by such Liens is otherwise permitted to be Incurred under the Indenture and does not exceed the cost of the assets or property so acquired or constructed; and
(b) such Liens are created within 180 days of the later of the acquisition, lease, completion of improvements, construction, repairs or additions or commencement of full operation of the assets or property subject to such Lien and do not encumber any other assets or property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than such assets or property and assets affixed or appurtenant thereto;
(11) Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provisions relating to banker's Liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a depositary institution;provided that:
(a) such deposit account is not a dedicated cash collateral account and is not subject to restrictions against access by the Company in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board; and
(b) such deposit account is not intended by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to provide collateral to the depository institution;
(12) Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating leases entered into by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;
(13) Liens existing on the Issue Date, other than Liens permitted under clause (1) of this definition;
(14) Liens on property or Capital Stock of a Person at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary;provided, however, that such Liens are not created or Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person becoming a Subsidiary;provided further, however, that any such Lien may not extend to any other property owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than assets or property affixed or appurtenant thereto);
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(15) Liens on property at the time the Company or any of its Subsidiaries acquired the property, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with or into the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;provided, however, that such Liens are not created or Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition;provided further, however, that such Liens may not extend to any other property owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(16) Liens securing the Notes, Subsidiary Guarantees and other obligations under the Indenture;
(17) Liens securing Refinancing Indebtedness Incurred to refinance Indebtedness that was previously so secured pursuant to clauses (10), (13), (14), (15), (16) and this clause (17),provided that any such Lien is limited to all or part of the same property or assets (plus improvements, accessions, proceeds or dividends or distributions in respect thereof) that secured (or, under the written arrangements under which the original Lien arose, could secure) the Indebtedness being refinanced or is in respect of property or assets that is the security for a Permitted Lien hereunder;
(18) any interest or title of a lessor under any Capitalized Lease Obligation or operating lease;
(19) Liens in respect of Production Payments and Reserve Sales, which Liens shall be limited to the property that is the subject of such Production Payments and Reserve Sales;
(20) Liens arising under farm-out agreements, farm-in agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, purchase, exchange, transportation, gathering or processing of Hydrocarbons, unitizations and pooling designations, declarations, orders and agreements, development agreements, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements, operating agreements, royalties, working interests, net profits interests, joint interest billing arrangements, participation agreements, production sales contracts, area of mutual interest agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or geophysical permits or agreements, and other agreements which are customary in the Oil and Gas Business;provided, however, in all instances that such Liens are limited to the assets that are the subject of the relevant agreement, program, order or contract;
(21) Liens on pipelines or pipeline facilities that arise by operation of law;
(22) Liens securing Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount outstanding at any one time, added together with all other Indebtedness secured by Liens Incurred pursuant to this clause (22), not to exceed the greater of $15.0 million and 2.0% of the Company's Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, as determined on the date of Incurrence of such Indebtedness after givingpro forma effect to such Incurrence and the application of the proceeds therefrom;
(23) Liens in favor of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor;
(24) deposits made in the ordinary course of business to secure liability to insurance carriers;
(25) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business;
(26) Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements permitted under "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments";provided that such Liens do not extend to any assets other than those that are the subject of such repurchase agreement;
(27) Liens encumbering reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;
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(28) any (a) interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under any lease, liens reserved in oil, gas or other Hydrocarbons, minerals, leases for bonus, royalty or rental payments and for compliance with the terms of such leases; (b) restriction or encumbrance that the interest or title of such lessor or sublessor may be subject to (including, without limitation, ground leases or other prior leases of the demised premises, mortgages, mechanics' liens, tax liens, and easements); or (c) subordination of the interest of the lessee or sublessee under such lease to any restrictions or encumbrance referred to in the preceding clause (b);
(29) Liens upon specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Person's obligations in respect of bankers' acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods;
(30) Liens arising under the Indenture in favor of the Trustee for its own benefit and similar Liens in favor of other trustees, agents and representatives arising under instruments governing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the Indenture,provided, however, that such Liens are solely for the benefit of the trustees, agents or representatives in their capacities as such and not for the benefit of the holders of such Indebtedness;
(31) Liens arising from the deposit of funds or securities in trust for the purpose of decreasing or defeasing Indebtedness so long as such deposit of funds or securities and such decreasing or defeasing of Indebtedness are permitted under the covenant described under "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments"; and
(32) Liens in favor of collecting or payer banks having a right of setoff, revocation, or charge back with respect to money or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company on deposit with or in possession of such bank.
In each case set forth above, notwithstanding any stated limitation on the assets that may be subject to such Lien, a Permitted Lien on a specified asset or group or type of assets may include Liens on all improvements, additions and accessions thereto and all products and proceeds thereof (including dividends, distributions and increases in respect thereof).
"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.
"Preferred Stock," as applied to the Capital Stock of any corporation or other Person, means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over Capital Stock of any other class of such Person.
"Production Payments and Reserve Sales" means the grant or transfer by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to any Person of a royalty, overriding royalty, net profits interest, production payment (whether volumetric or dollar denominated), partnership or other interest in Oil and Gas Properties, reserves or the right to receive all or a portion of the production or the proceeds from the sale of production attributable to such properties where the holder of such interest has recourse solely to such production or proceeds of production, subject to the obligation of the grantor or transferor to operate and maintain, or cause the subject interests to be operated and maintained, in a reasonably prudent manner or other customary standard or subject to the obligation of the grantor or transferor to indemnify for environmental, title or other matters customary in the Oil and Gas Business, including any such grants or transfers pursuant to incentive compensation programs on terms that are reasonably customary in the Oil and Gas Business for geologists, geophysicists or other providers of technical services to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary.
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"Rating Agency" means each of S&P and Moody's, or if S&P or Moody's or both shall not make a rating on the Notes publicly available, a nationally recognized statistical rating agency or agencies, as the case may be, selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the Board of Directors) which shall be substituted for S&P or Moody's, or both, as the case may be.
"Refinancing Indebtedness" means Indebtedness that is Incurred to refund, refinance, replace, exchange, renew, repay, extend, prepay, redeem or retire (including pursuant to any defeasance or discharge mechanism) (collectively, "refinance" and "refinances" and "refinanced" shall have correlative meanings) any Indebtedness (including Indebtedness of the Company that refinances Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary and Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness of another Restricted Subsidiary), including Indebtedness that refinances Refinancing Indebtedness,provided, however, that:
(1) (a) if the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being refinanced is the same as or earlier than the Stated Maturity of the Notes, the Refinancing Indebtedness has a Stated Maturity no earlier than the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being refinanced or (b) if the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being refinanced is later than the Stated Maturity of the Notes, the Refinancing Indebtedness has a Stated Maturity at least 91 days later than the Stated Maturity of the Notes;
(2) the Refinancing Indebtedness has an Average Life at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred that is equal to or greater than the Average Life of the Indebtedness being refinanced;
(3) such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred in an aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, an aggregate issue price) that is equal to or less than the sum of the aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, the aggregate accreted value) then outstanding of the Indebtedness being refinanced (plus, without duplication, any additional Indebtedness Incurred to pay interest, premiums or defeasance costs required by the instruments governing such existing Indebtedness and fees and expenses Incurred in connection therewith);
(4) if the Indebtedness being refinanced is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee, such Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee on terms at least as favorable to the holders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being refinanced; and
(5) Refinancing Indebtedness shall not include Indebtedness of a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor.
"Registration Rights Agreement" means that certain Registration Rights Agreement dated as of the Issue Date by and among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the initial purchasers set forth therein and, with respect to any Additional Notes, one or more substantially similar registration rights agreement among the Company and the other parties thereto, as such agreements may be amended from time to time.
"Reporting Failure" means the failure of the Company to file with the SEC and make available or otherwise deliver to the Trustee and each holder, within the time periods specified in "—Certain Covenants—Provision of Financial Information" (after giving effect to any grace period specified under Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act), the periodic reports, information, documents or other reports which the Company may be required to file with the SEC pursuant to such provision.
"Restricted Investment" means any Investment other than a Permitted Investment.
"Restricted Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary of the Company other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
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"S&P" means Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.
"Sale/Leaseback Transaction" means an arrangement relating to property now owned or hereafter acquired whereby the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary transfers such property to a Person and the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary leases it from such Person.
"SEC" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Senior Secured Credit Agreement" means the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of December 15, 2011 among the Company, as Borrower, Bank of Montreal, as Administrative Agent, and the lenders parties thereto from time to time, including any guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and any amendments, supplements, modifications, extensions, renewals, restatements, refundings or refinancings thereof and any indentures or credit facilities or commercial paper facilities with banks or other institutional lenders or investors that replace, refund or refinance any part of the loans, notes, other credit facilities or commitments thereunder, including any such replacement, refunding or refinancing facility or indenture that increases the amount borrowable thereunder or alters the maturity thereof (provided that such increase in borrowings is permitted under "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock" above).
"Senior Management" means, with respect to any corporation or other Person, the chief executive officer or the chief financial officer of such Person, when acting individually, or both of them, when acting jointly.
"Significant Subsidiary" means any Restricted Subsidiary that would be a "Significant Subsidiary" of the Company within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC, as in effect on the Issue Date.
"Stated Maturity" means, with respect to any security, the date specified in such security as the fixed date on which the payment of principal of such security is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision, but shall not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.
"Subordinated Obligation" means any Indebtedness of the Company (whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter Incurred) which is expressly subordinate in right of payment to the Notes pursuant to a written agreement.
"Subsidiary" of any Person means (a) any corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity) of which more than 50% of the total ordinary voting power of any Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof (or Persons performing similar functions) or (b) any partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity of which more than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity and voting interests or general or limited partnership interests, as applicable, that is, in the case of clauses (a) and (b), at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (1) such Person, (2) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (3) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person. Unless otherwise specified in the Indenture or the context indicates otherwise, each reference to a Subsidiary (other than in this definition) will refer to a Subsidiary of the Company.
"Subsidiary Guarantee" means, individually, any Guarantee of payment of the Notes by a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to the terms of the Indenture and any supplemental indenture thereto, and, collectively, all such Guarantees.
"Subsidiary Guarantors" means any Subsidiary of the Company that is a guarantor of the Notes, including any Person that is required after the Issue Date to guarantee the Notes pursuant to the
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"Future Subsidiary Guarantors" covenant, in each case until a successor replaces such Person pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Indenture and, thereafter, means such successor.
"Unrestricted Subsidiary" means:
(1) any Subsidiary of the Company that at the time of determination shall be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Board of Directors of the Company in the manner provided below; and
(2) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Subsidiary of the Company (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary or a Person becoming a Subsidiary through merger or consolidation or Investment therein) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary only if:
(1) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing after giving effect to such designation;
(2) the Subsidiary to be so designated and its Subsidiaries do not own any Capital Stock or Indebtedness of or have any Investment in, or own or hold any Lien on any property of, any other Subsidiary of the Company which is not a Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated or otherwise an Unrestricted Subsidiary;
(3) all the Indebtedness of such Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries shall, at the date of designation, and will at all times thereafter, consist of Non-Recourse Debt;
(4) on the date of such designation, such designation and the Investment of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in such Subsidiary complies with "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments";
(5) such Subsidiary is a Person with respect to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation to subscribe for additional Capital Stock of such Person;
(6) such Subsidiary, either alone or in the aggregate with all other Unrestricted Subsidiaries, does not operate, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries;
(7) on the date such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary, such Subsidiary is not a party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary with terms substantially less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that might have been obtained from Persons who are not Affiliates of the Company; and
(8) either (a) the Subsidiary to be so designated has total consolidated assets of $1,000 or less or (b) if such Subsidiary has consolidated assets greater than $1,000, then such designation would be permitted under the covenant described above under "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments" and the definition of "Investment."
Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a certified copy of a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company giving effect to such designation and an Officers' Certificate certifying that such designation complies with the foregoing conditions. A re-designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary will be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of any outstanding Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary. If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the foregoing requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it shall thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of the Indenture and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be
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deemed to be Incurred as of such date. The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary;provided that immediately after giving effect to such designation, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof, the Company could Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the first paragraph of the covenant described under "—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock" on apro forma basis taking into account such designation and all Liens of such Unrestricted Subsidiary outstanding immediately following such designation would, if Incurred at such time, have been permitted to be Incurred for all purposes under the Indenture.
"U.S. Government Obligations" means securities that are (a) direct obligations of the United States of America for the timely payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (b) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of the United States of America, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act), as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligations or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such U.S. Government Obligations held by such custodian for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt;provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligations or the specific payment of principal of or interest on the U.S. Government Obligations evidenced by such depositary receipt.
"Volumetric Production Payments" means production payment obligations recorded as deferred revenue in accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.
"Voting Stock" of an entity means all classes of Capital Stock of such entity then outstanding and normally entitled to vote in the election of members of such entity's Board of Directors.
"Wholly-Owned Subsidiary" means a Restricted Subsidiary, all of the Capital Stock of which (other than directors' qualifying shares) is owned by the Company or another Wholly-Owned Subsidiary.
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
You may transfer new notes issued under the exchange offer in exchange for the old notes if:
- •
- you acquire the new notes in the ordinary course of your business;
- •
- you have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of such new notes in violation of the provisions of the Securities Act; and
- •
- you are not our "affiliate" (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act).
Each broker-dealer that receives new notes for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer in exchange for old notes that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such new notes. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of new notes received in exchange for old notes, where such old notes were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities.
If you wish to exchange new notes for your old notes in the exchange offer, you will be required to make representations to us as described in "Exchange Offer—Purpose and Effect of the Exchange Offer" and "—Procedures for Tendering—Your Representations to Us" in this prospectus and in the letter of transmittal. In addition, if you are a broker-dealer who receives new notes for your own account in exchange for old notes that were acquired by you as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, you will be required to acknowledge that you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale by you of such new notes.
We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of new notes by broker-dealers. New notes received by broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to the exchange offer may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions in any of the following ways:
- •
- in the over-the-counter market;
- •
- in negotiated transactions;
- •
- through the writing of options on the new notes or a combination of such methods of resale;
- •
- at market prices prevailing at the time of resale;
- •
- at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or
- •
- at negotiated prices.
Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such new notes.
Any broker-dealer that resells new notes that were received by it for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer in exchange for old notes that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act. The letter of transmittal states that by acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act. We agreed to permit the use of this prospectus for a period of up to 180 days after the completion of the exchange offer by such broker-dealers to satisfy this prospectus delivery requirement. Furthermore, we agree to amend or supplement this prospectus during such period, if so requested, in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any new notes by broker-dealers.
We have agreed to pay all expenses incident to the exchange offer other than fees and expenses of counsel to the holders and brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, and will indemnify the holders of the old notes (including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
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MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary based on present law of the material United States federal income tax considerations relating to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the new notes, but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all of the potential tax considerations relating thereto. This summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), Treasury Regulations, rulings and pronouncements of the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"), and judicial decisions, all as of the date hereof. These authorities may be changed, perhaps retroactively, and are subject to different interpretations, so the United States federal income tax consequences may be different from those described herein. This summary assumes that the old notes and the new notes are held as capital assets (generally, property held for investment) and holders are investors who purchased the old notes for cash upon their original issue at their initial offering price.
This summary does not address tax considerations arising under the laws of any foreign, state or local jurisdiction or the effect of any tax treaty. In addition, this discussion does not address tax considerations that are the result of a holder's particular circumstances or of special rules, such as those that apply to holders subject to the alternative minimum tax, banks and other financial institutions, tax-exempt organizations, insurance companies, dealers or traders in securities or commodities, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, United States Holders (as defined below) whose "functional currency" is not the U.S. dollar, certain former citizens or former long-term residents of the United States, foreign governments or international organizations, persons who will hold the new notes as a position in a hedging transaction, "straddle," "conversion transaction" or other risk reduction or integrated transaction, or partnerships (including any entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) or other pass-through entities or investors in such entities.
If a partnership (including any entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) holds new notes, then the United States federal income tax treatment of a partner generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A partner in a partnership holding new notes should consult its tax advisor as to the United States federal income tax consequences of acquiring, holding, and disposing of the new notes. We have not sought any ruling from the IRS with respect to the statements made and conclusions reached in this summary, and there can be no assurance that the IRS will agree with and not challenge these statements and conclusions.
THIS SUMMARY IS NOT INTENDED OR WRITTEN TO BE USED, AND CANNOT BE USED BY ANY TAXPAYER OR TAX PREPARER, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AVOIDING ANY UNITED STATES FEDERAL TAX PENALTIES THAT MAY BE IMPOSED ON THE TAXPAYER OR TAX PREPARER, AND IS WRITTEN TO SUPPORT THE PROMOTION AND MARKETING OF THE OFFERING OF THE NEW NOTES. EACH TAXPAYER SHOULD SEEK ADVICE BASED ON THE TAXPAYER'S PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES FROM AN INDEPENDENT TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION TO SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS AS WELL AS WITH RESPECT TO ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES ARISING UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL OR OTHER TAXING JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE TAX TREATY.
Certain Additional Payments
In certain circumstances (see "Description of Notes—Optional Redemption," "Description of Notes—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control," and "Exchange Offer—Registration Rights"), we may be obligated to pay amounts on the notes that are in excess of interest or principal on the notes. These potential payments may implicate the provisions of the U.S. Treasury Regulations relating to "contingent payment debt instruments." We do not intend to treat the
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possibility of paying such additional amounts as causing the notes to be treated as contingent payment debt instruments. It is possible that the IRS may take a different position, in which case, if such position is sustained, a holder might be required to accrue ordinary interest income at a higher rate than the stated interest rate and to treat as ordinary income rather than capital gain any gain realized on the taxable disposition of the notes. The remainder of this discussion assumes that the notes will not be treated as contingent payment debt instruments. You are encouraged to consult your own tax advisor regarding the possible application of the contingent payment debt instrument rules to the notes.
Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders
The following summary will apply to you if you are a U.S. holder of the notes. You are a "U.S. holder" for purposes of this discussion if you are a beneficial owner of notes and you are for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
- •
- an individual who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien;
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- a corporation that was created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
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- an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
- •
- a trust (1) if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (2) that has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person.
Exchange Offer
The new notes do not differ materially in kind or extent from the old notes and, as a result, your exchange of old notes for new notes will not constitute a taxable disposition of the old notes for United States federal income tax purposes. As a result, you will not recognize taxable income, gain or loss on such exchange, your holding period for the new notes generally will include the holding period for the old notes so exchanged, and your adjusted tax basis in the new notes generally will be the same as your adjusted tax basis in the old notes so exchanged.
Interest on the Notes
Interest on the notes generally will be taxable to you as ordinary income at the time it is received or accrued in accordance with your regular method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Generally, if a United States holder purchases a new note for an amount that exceeds the sum of all amounts payable on the new note after the purchase date other than stated interest, the new note will be considered to have been purchased at a premium. This premium may be amortized over the remaining term (or an applicable call date as discussed below) of the new note on a yield to maturity basis if the United States holder so elects. The amortizable bond premium is treated as an offset to interest income on the new note for United States federal income tax purposes. A United States holder who elects to amortize bond premium must reduce its tax basis in the new note by the deductions allowable for amortizable bond premium. An election to amortize bond premium is revocable only with the consent of the IRS and applies to all obligations owned or acquired by the United States holder on or after the first day of the taxable year to which the election applies.
We may redeem the new notes in certain circumstances as described in this prospectus under "Description of the New Notes—Optional Redemption." The amount of amortizable bond premium
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will be based on the amount payable at the applicable call date, but only if use of the call date (in lieu of the stated maturity date) results in a smaller amortizable bond premium for the period ending on the call date. If a new note purchased at a premium is redeemed before its maturity and a United States holder has elected to deduct the bond premium, the United States holder may be permitted to deduct any remaining unamortized bond premium as an ordinary loss in the taxable year of the redemption.
If a United States holder does not elect to amortize bond premium, that premium will decrease the gain or increase the loss the United States holder would otherwise recognize on disposition of the new note.
The resale of new notes may be affected by the market discount provisions of the Code. If a United States holder purchases a new note for an amount that is less than its principal amount, the amount of the difference will be treated as "market discount" for United States federal income tax purposes, unless that difference is less than a specified de minimis amount. Under the market discount rules, the United States holder will be required to treat any principal payment on a new note, or any gain on its sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition, as ordinary income to the extent of the accrued market discount that was not previously included in gross income. If the new note is disposed of in a non-taxable transaction (other than a non-recognition transaction described in Section 1276 of the Code), accrued market discount will be taxable to the United States holder as ordinary income as if the United States holder had sold the new note at its fair market value. In addition, the United States holder may be required to defer, until the maturity of a new note or its earlier disposition (including a non-taxable transaction other than a transaction described in Section 1276 of the Code), the deduction of all or a portion of the interest expense in respect of any indebtedness incurred or maintained to purchase or carry the new note. Market discount will be considered to accrue on a straight-line basis during the period from the date of acquisition to the maturity date of the new note unless the United States holder elects to accrue market discount on a constant interest rate basis.
A United States holder may elect to include market discount in gross income as the discount accrues, either on a straight-line basis or on a constant interest rate basis. This current inclusion election, once made, applies to all market discount obligations acquired by the United States holder on or after the first day of the first taxable year to which the election applies, and may not be revoked without the consent of the IRS. If an election is made, the foregoing rules with respect to the recognition of ordinary income on sales and other dispositions of such debt instruments and on any partial principal payment with respect to the new notes, and the deferral of interest deductions on indebtedness incurred or maintained to purchase or carry such debt instruments, would not apply.
Disposition of the Notes
You will generally recognize capital gain or loss on the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of a note in an amount equal to the difference, if any, between the proceeds you receive (excluding any proceeds attributable to accrued but unpaid interest, which will be taxable as ordinary interest income to the extent you have not previously included such amounts in income) and your adjusted tax basis in the note. The proceeds you receive will include the amount of any cash and the fair market value of any other property received for the note. Your adjusted tax basis in the note will generally equal the amount you paid for the note. Any gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if you held the note for more than one year at the time of the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition. Long-term capital gains of individuals, estates and trusts currently are eligible for reduced rates of U.S. federal income tax. The deductibility of capital losses may be subject to limitation.
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Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Information reporting generally will apply to payments of interest on, and the proceeds of the sale or other disposition (including a redemption, exchange or retirement) of, notes held by you, and backup withholding generally will apply to such payments unless you provide the appropriate intermediary with a taxpayer identification number, certified under penalties of perjury, as well as certain other information or otherwise establish an exemption from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules is allowable as a credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and a refund may be obtained if the amounts withheld exceed your actual U.S. federal income tax liability and you timely provide the required information or appropriate claim form to the IRS.
Additional Tax on Net Investment Income
An additional 3.8% tax is imposed on the "net investment income" of certain U.S. citizens and resident aliens, and on the undistributed "net investment income" of certain estates and trusts. Among other items, "net investment income" generally includes gross income from interest, and net gain from the disposition of property, such as the notes, less certain deductions. You are encouraged to consult your tax advisor with respect to this additional tax and its applicability in your particular circumstances.
Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders
The following summary will apply to you if you are a non-U.S. holder of the notes. You are a "non-U.S. holder" for purposes of this discussion if you are a beneficial owner of notes that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, an individual, corporation, estate or trust that is not a U.S. holder.
Interest on the Notes
Subject to the discussion of backup withholding and FATCA withholding, below, payments to you of interest on the notes generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax and will be exempt from withholding of U.S. federal income tax under the "portfolio interest" exemption if you properly certify as to your foreign status, as described below, and:
- •
- you do not own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote;
- •
- you are not a "controlled foreign corporation" that is related to us (actually or constructively);
- •
- you are not a bank whose receipt of interest on the notes is in connection with an extension of credit made pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of your trade or business; and
- •
- interest on the notes is not effectively connected with your conduct of a U.S. trade or business.
The portfolio interest exemption generally applies only if you also appropriately certify as to your foreign status. You can generally meet the certification requirement by providing a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or applicable successor form) to the applicable withholding agent. If you hold the notes through a financial institution or other agent acting on your behalf, you may be required to provide appropriate certifications to the agent. Your agent will then generally be required to provide appropriate certifications to the applicable withholding agent, either directly or through other intermediaries. Special rules apply to foreign partnerships, estates and trusts, and in certain circumstances certifications as to foreign status of partners, trust owners or beneficiaries may have to be provided to the withholding agent. In addition, special rules apply to qualified intermediaries that enter into withholding agreements with the IRS.
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If you cannot satisfy the requirements described above, payments of interest made to you will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a 30% rate, unless you provide the applicable withholding agent with a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or applicable successor form) claiming an exemption from (or a reduction of) withholding under the benefits of an income tax treaty, or the payments of interest are effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States and you meet the certification requirements described below. (See "—Income or Gain Effectively Connected with a U.S. Trade or Business.")
The certifications described above and below must be provided to the applicable withholding agent prior to the payment of interest and must be updated periodically. If you do not timely provide the applicable withholding agent with the required certification, but you qualify for a reduced rate under an applicable income tax treaty, you may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld if you timely provide the required information or appropriate claim form to the IRS.
Disposition of the Notes
Subject to the discussion of backup withholding and FATCA withholding, below, you generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized on the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of a note (such amount excludes any amount allocable to accrued and unpaid interest, which generally will be treated as interest and may be subject to the rules discussed above in "—Interest on the Notes") unless:
- •
- the gain is effectively connected with the conduct by you of a U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, you maintain a permanent establishment in the United States to which such gain is attributable); or
- •
- you are a non-resident alien individual who has been present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition and certain other requirements are met.
If your gain is described in the first bullet point above, you generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the manner described below under "—Income or Gain Effectively Connected with a U.S. Trade or Business." If you are a non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet point above, you will be subject to a flat 30% (or lower applicable income tax treaty rate) U.S. federal income tax on the gain derived from the sale or other disposition, which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses.
Income or Gain Effectively Connected with a U.S. Trade or Business
If any interest on the notes or gain from the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of the notes is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by you (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by you in the United States), then the interest income or gain will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular graduated income tax rates. Effectively connected interest income will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax if you satisfy certain certification requirements by providing to the applicable withholding agent a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI (or IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E if a treaty exemption applies) or any applicable successor form. In addition, if you are a corporation, that portion of your earnings and profits that is effectively connected with your U.S. trade or business may also be subject to a "branch profits tax" at a 30% rate, unless an applicable income tax treaty provides for a lower rate. For this purpose, interest received on a note and gain recognized on the disposition of a note will be included in earnings and profits if the interest or gain is effectively connected with the conduct by you of a U.S. trade or business.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Payments to you of interest on a note, and amounts withheld from such payments, if any, generally will be required to be reported to the IRS and to you. Copies of the information returns reporting such
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interest payments and withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities of the country in which you reside or are established under the provisions of a specific treaty or agreement.
U.S. backup withholding generally will not apply to payments to you of interest on a note if the certification described in "—Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders—Interest on the Notes" is duly provided or you otherwise establish an exemption, provided that the applicable withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person.
Proceeds from the disposition of a note effected by the U.S. office of a U.S. or foreign broker will be subject to information reporting requirements and backup withholding unless you properly certify under penalties of perjury as to your foreign status on IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor IRS Form W-8) and certain other conditions are met or you otherwise establish an exemption, provided that the applicable withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person. Information reporting requirements and backup withholding generally will not apply to any proceeds from the disposition of a note effected outside the United States by a foreign office of a broker. However, unless such a broker has documentary evidence in its records that you are not a United States person and certain other conditions are met, or you otherwise establish an exemption, information reporting will apply to a payment of the proceeds of the disposition of a note effected outside the United States by such a broker if it has certain relationships with the United States.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules is allowable as a credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and a refund may be obtained if the amounts withheld exceed your actual U.S. federal income tax liability and you timely provide the required information or appropriate claim form to the IRS.
Withholding on Payments to Certain Foreign Entities
Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and the U.S. Treasury Regulations and administrative guidance issued thereunder ("FATCA") impose a 30% withholding tax on any U.S.-source interest paid on or after July 1, 2014 on debt obligations, such as the notes, issued on or after July 1, 2014 and on the gross proceeds from a disposition of such obligations paid after December 31, 2016, in each case, if paid to a "foreign financial institution" or a "non-financial foreign entity" (each as defined in the Code) (including, when such foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity is acting as an intermediary), unless: (i) in the case of a foreign financial institution, such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. government to withhold on certain payments, and to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities substantial information regarding U.S. account holders of such institution (which includes certain equity and debt holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are foreign entities with U.S. owners); (ii) in the case of a non-financial foreign entity, such entity certifies that it does not have any "substantial United States owners" (as defined in the Code) or provides the withholding agent with a certification identifying its direct and indirect substantial United States owners; or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States with respect to these rules may be subject to different rules. Under certain circumstances, a beneficial owner of notes might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.
The rules under FATCA are new and complex. You are encouraged to consult with your own tax advisor regarding the implications of FATCA on your investment in the notes.
THE PRECEDING DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. WE URGE EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR TO CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE PARTICULAR U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES OF PURCHASING, HOLDING AND DISPOSING OF OUR NOTES, INCLUDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY PROPOSED CHANGE IN APPLICABLE LAWS.
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LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the new notes offered in this exchange offer will be passed upon for us by Thompson & Knight LLP. Venable LLP will pass upon certain matters of Maryland law, Hanna and Morton LLP will pass upon certain matters of California law, and Ellis G. Vickers, Senior Vice President and associate general counsel of Warren Resources, Inc., will pass upon certain matters of New Mexico law.
EXPERTS
The audited consolidated financial statements of Warren Resources, Inc. as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, and management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Warren Resources, Inc. as of December 31, 2014 incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the reports of Grant Thornton LLP, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The financial statements of Citrus Energy Corporation as of and for the periods ended December 31, 2012 and 2013 incorporated by reference in this registration statement have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of Richey May & Co., independent auditors, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The financial statements of TLK Partners LLC as of and for the periods ended December 31, 2012 and 2013 incorporated by reference in this registration statement have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of Hogan Taylor LLP, independent auditors, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The information incorporated by reference into this prospectus regarding estimated quantities of proved reserves and their present value is based on estimates of the proved reserves and present values of proved reserves as of December 31, 2014 prepared by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc., independent petroleum engineers. These estimates are incorporated by reference into this prospectus in reliance upon the authority of the firm as experts in these matters.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We "incorporate by reference" information into this prospectus, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus, and the information we file later with the SEC will automatically supersede this information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is current as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus or that any information we have incorporated by reference herein is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference.
We incorporate by reference in this prospectus the documents listed below:
- •
- Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, including portions of our Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed on April 21, 2015 (as amended on May 21, 2015) for our 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to the extent specifically incorporated by reference into such Form 10-K;
- •
- Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2015; and
- •
- Our Current Reports on Form 8-K (excluding information "furnished" on Items 2.02 and 7.01 and related exhibits) filed on January 2, 2015, April 15, 2015, May 26, 2015, June 4, 2015 and June 8, 2015.
In addition, we incorporate by reference in this prospectus any future filings made by Warren Resources, Inc. with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding any information furnished and not filed with the SEC) prior to the termination of the offering of the securities offered by this prospectus (including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement).
You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:
Warren Resources, Inc.
1114 Avenue of the Americas, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Attention: Corporate Secretary
(212) 697-9660
Additionally, you may read and copy any documents filed by us at the SEC's public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our filings with the SEC are also available to the public from commercial document retrieval services and at the SEC's website atwww.sec.gov.
We also make available free of charge on our website athttp://www.warrenresources.com our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus.
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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
TO TENDER
Old 9.00% Senior Noted due 2022
OF
WARREN RESOURCES, INC.
PURSUANT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER AND PROSPECTUS
DATED , 2015
THE EXCHANGE OFFER AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON , 2015 (THE "EXPIRATION DATE"), UNLESS THE EXCHANGE OFFER IS EXTENDED BY THE ISSUER.
The Exchange Agent for the Exchange Offer is:
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS
| | |
By First Class Mail: U. S. Bank National Association Attn: Specialized Finance 60 Livingston Avenue—EP-MN-WS2N St. Paul, MN 55107-2292 | | By Courier or Overnight Delivery: U. S. Bank National Association Attn: Specialized Finance 111 Fillmore Avenue St. Paul, MN 55107-1402 |
For Facsimile Transmission (eligible institutions only)
651-495-8158
Attn: Specialized Finance
Confirm via email:
escrowexchangepayments@usbank.com
For questions regarding the exchange or to request copies of materials, you should contact
Mauri Cowen
713-235-9206 phone -or- mauri.cowen@usbank.com email
If you wish to exchange old 9.00% Senior Notes due 2022 for an equal aggregate principal amount at maturity of new 9.00% Senior Notes due 2022 pursuant to the exchange offer, you must validly tender (and not withdraw) old notes to the exchange agent prior to the expiration date.
The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt and review of the Prospectus, dated , 2015 (the "Prospectus"), of Warren Resources, Inc. (the "Issuer"), and this Letter of Transmittal (the "Letter of Transmittal"), which together describe the Issuer's offer (the "Exchange Offer") to exchange its issued and outstanding 9.00% Senior Notes due 2022 (the "old notes") for a like principal amount of its 9.00% Senior Notes due 2022 (the "new notes") that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the respective meaning given to them in the Prospectus.
The Issuer reserves the right, at any time or from time to time, to extend the Exchange Offer at its discretion, in which event the term "Expiration Date" shall mean the latest date to which the Exchange Offer is extended. The Issuer shall notify the Exchange Agent of any extension by oral or written notice (any such oral notice to be promptly confirmed in writing). The Issuer will notify the registered
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holders of old notes of any extension no later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the business day after the previously scheduled Expiration Date.
This Letter of Transmittal is to be used by holders of the old notes. Tender of old notes is to be made according to the Automated Tender Offer Program ("ATOP") of The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Exchange Offer—Procedures for Tendering." DTC participants that are accepting the Exchange Offer must transmit their acceptance to DTC, which will verify the acceptance and execute a book-entry delivery to the Exchange Agent's DTC account. DTC will then send a computer-generated message known as an "agent's message" to the exchange agent for its acceptance. For you to validly tender your old notes in the Exchange Offer, the Exchange Agent must receive, prior to the Expiration Date, an agent's message under the ATOP procedures that confirms that:
- •
- DTC has received your instructions to tender your old notes; and
- •
- you agree to be bound by the terms of this Letter of Transmittal.
BY USING THE ATOP PROCEDURES TO TENDER OLD NOTES, YOU WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO DELIVER THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT. HOWEVER, YOU WILL BE BOUND BY ITS TERMS, AND YOU WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE MADE THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES IT CONTAINS, JUST AS IF YOU HAD SIGNED IT.
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PLEASE READ THE ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1. By tendering old notes in the Exchange Offer, you acknowledge receipt of the Prospectus and this Letter of Transmittal.
2. By tendering old notes in the Exchange Offer, you represent and warrant that you have full authority to tender the old notes described above and will, upon request, execute and deliver any additional documents deemed by the Issuer to be necessary or desirable to complete the tender of old notes.
3. You understand that the tender of the old notes pursuant to all of the procedures set forth in the Prospectus will constitute an agreement between the undersigned and the Issuer as to the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. By tendering old notes in the Exchange Offer, you acknowledge that the Exchange Offer is being made in reliance upon interpretations contained in no-action letters issued to third parties by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including Exxon Capital Holdings Corp., SEC No-Action Letter (available May 13, 1988), Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc., SEC No-Action Letter (available June 5, 1991) and Shearman & Sterling, SEC No-Action Letter (available July 2, 1993), that the new notes issued in exchange for the old notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be offered for resale, resold and otherwise transferred by holders thereof without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act (other than a broker-dealer who purchased old notes exchanged for such new notes directly from the Issuer to resell pursuant to Rule 144A or any other available exemption under the Securities Act, and any such holder that is an "affiliate" of the Issuer within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act), provided that such new notes are acquired in the ordinary course of such holders' business and such holders are not participating in, and have no arrangement with any other person to participate in, the distribution of such new notes.
5. By tendering old notes in the Exchange Offer, you hereby represent and warrant that:
(a) the new notes acquired pursuant to the Exchange Offer are being obtained in the ordinary course of business of the undersigned, whether or not you are the holder;
(b) you have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of old notes or new notes within the meaning of the Securities Act;
(c) you are not an "affiliate," as such term is defined under Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act, of the Issuer; and
(d) if you are a broker-dealer, you will receive the new notes for your own account in exchange for old notes that were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, and you acknowledge that you will deliver a prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available a prospectus) in connection with any resale of such new notes.
You may, if you are unable to make all of the representations and warranties contained in Item 5 above and as otherwise permitted in the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined below), elect to have your old notes registered in the shelf registration statement described in the Registration Rights Agreement executed in connection with the issuance of the old 9.00% Senior Notes due 2022 (the "Registration Rights Agreement") by and among the Issuer, the several guarantors named therein, BMO Capital Markets Corp., Jefferies LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the Initial Purchasers (as defined therein). Such election may be made by notifying the Issuer in writing at Warren Resources, Inc., 1114 Avenue of the Americas, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10036, Attention: Corporate
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Secretary. By making such election, you agree, as a holder of old notes participating in a shelf registration, to indemnify and hold harmless the Issuer, the guarantors, and their respective directors, each of the officers of the Issuer and the guarantors who signs such shelf registration statement, and each person who controls the Issuer or any of the guarantors, within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and the respective officers, directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents of each such person, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any shelf registration statement or prospectus, or in any supplement thereto or amendment thereof, or caused by the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; but only with respect to information relating to the undersigned furnished in writing by or on behalf of the undersigned expressly for use in a shelf registration statement, a prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto. Any such indemnification shall be governed by the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement, including, without limitation, the provisions regarding notice, retention of counsel, contribution and payment of expenses set forth therein. The above summary of the indemnification provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement is not intended to be exhaustive and is qualified in its entirety by the Registration Rights Agreement.
6. If you are a broker-dealer that will receive new notes for your own account in exchange for old notes that were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, you acknowledge, by tendering old notes in the Exchange Offer, that you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such new notes; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, you will not be deemed to admit that you are an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.
7. If you are a broker-dealer and old notes held for your own account were not acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities, such old notes cannot be exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
8. Any of your obligations hereunder shall be binding upon your successors, assigns, executors, administrators, trustees in bankruptcy, and legal and personal representatives.
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INSTRUCTIONS
FORMING PART OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE EXCHANGE OFFER
1. Book-Entry Confirmations
Any confirmation of a book-entry transfer to the Exchange Agent's account at DTC of old notes tendered by book-entry transfer, as well as an agent's message and any other documents required by this Letter of Transmittal, must be received by the Exchange Agent at its address set forth herein prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Expiration Date.
2. Partial Tenders
Tenders of old notes will be accepted only in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The entire principal amount of old notes delivered to the Exchange Agent will be deemed to have been tendered unless otherwise communicated to the Exchange Agent. If the entire principal amount of all old notes is not tendered, then old notes for the principal amount of old notes not tendered and new notes issued in exchange for any old notes accepted will be delivered to the holder via the facilities of DTC promptly after the old notes are accepted for exchange.
3. Validity of Tenders
All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility (including time of receipt), acceptance and withdrawal of tendered old notes will be determined by the Issuer, in its sole discretion, which determination will be final and binding. The Issuer reserves the absolute right to reject any or all tenders not in proper form or the acceptance for exchange of which may, in the opinion of counsel for the Issuer, be unlawful. The Issuer also reserves the absolute right to waive any of the conditions of the Exchange Offer or any defect or irregularity in the tender of any old notes. The Issuer's interpretation of the terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer (including the instructions on the Letter of Transmittal) will be final and binding on all parties. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of old notes must be cured within such time as the Issuer shall determine. Although the Issuer intends to notify holders of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of old notes, neither the Issuer, the Exchange Agent nor any other person shall be under any duty to give notification of any defects or irregularities in tenders or incur any liability for failure to give such notification. Tenders of old notes will not be deemed to have been made until such defects or irregularities have been cured or waived. Any old notes received by the Exchange Agent that are not properly tendered and as to which the defects or irregularities have not been cured or waived will be returned by the Exchange Agent to the tendering holders, unless otherwise provided in the Letter of Transmittal, promptly following the Expiration Date.
4. Waiver of Conditions
The Issuer reserves the absolute right to waive, in whole or part, up to the expiration of the Exchange Offer, any of the conditions to the Exchange Offer set forth in the Prospectus or in this Letter of Transmittal.
5. No Conditional Tender
No alternative, conditional, irregular or contingent tender of old notes will be accepted.
6. Requests for Assistance or Additional Copies
Requests for assistance or for additional copies of the Prospectus or this Letter of Transmittal may be directed to the Exchange Agent at the address or telephone number set forth on the cover page of
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this Letter of Transmittal. Holders may also contact their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the Exchange Offer.
7. Withdrawal
Tenders may be withdrawn only pursuant to the limited withdrawal rights set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Exchange Offer—Withdrawal of Tenders."
8. No Guarantee of Late Delivery
There is no procedure for guarantee of late delivery in the Exchange Offer.
IMPORTANT: BY USING THE ATOP PROCEDURES TO TENDER OLD NOTES, YOU WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO DELIVER THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT. HOWEVER, YOU WILL BE BOUND BY ITS TERMS, AND YOU WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE MADE THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES IT CONTAINS, JUST AS IF YOU HAD SIGNED IT.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 20. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Warren Resources, Inc.
The Maryland General Corporation Law requires a Maryland corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he is made a party by reason of his service in that capacity. The Maryland General Corporation Law permits a Maryland corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceedings to which they may be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities, unless it is established that:
- •
- the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (a) was committed in bad faith or (b) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty;
- •
- the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or
- •
- in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.
Under the Maryland General Corporation law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or on behalf of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the director or officer did not meet the prescribed standard of conduct or was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received; however, indemnification for an adverse judgment in a suit by or on behalf of the corporation, or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, is limited to expenses.
Additionally, the Maryland General Corporation Law permits a Maryland corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation's receipt of (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (b) a written undertaking by him or her, or on his or her behalf, to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met.
Under Maryland law, the indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by statute are not exclusive of any other rights to which a person who is not a director seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any charter, bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders, vote of directors or otherwise.
Our charter and bylaws provide that we shall indemnify each director, officer or employee of the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, or any similar provision or provisions of applicable law at the time in effect, in connection with any actual or threatened action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was at any time a director, officer or employee of the Company, or is or was at any time serving at our request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or employee benefit plan.
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Reasonable expenses incurred in defending any action, suit or proceeding described above shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director, officer or employee to repay all amounts so advanced to the Company if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by us.
In addition to the general indemnification described above, Maryland law permits corporations to include any provision expanding or limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation or its stockholders for money damages, but may not include any provision that restricts or limits the liability of its directors or officers to the corporation or its stockholders:
- •
- to the extent that it is proved that the person actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property, or services for the amount of the benefit or profit in money, property or services actually received; or
- •
- to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the person is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the person's action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding.
We have adopted, in our charter, a provision that eliminates and limits the personal liability of each of our directors and officers to the full extent permitted by the laws of the State of Maryland.
We have entered into an indemnification agreement with each of our directors and officers against liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers and to advance their expenses incurred as a result of a proceeding as to which they may be indemnified. These indemnification agreements are intended to be in addition to any other rights that the indemnitee may have under our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law.
Co-Registrants
Warren E&P, Inc.
Warren E&P, Inc. is incorporated under the laws of the state of New Mexico. Pursuant to Section 53-11-4.1(B) of the New Mexico Business Corporation Act (the "NMBCA"), a New Mexico corporation may indemnify any person made a party to any proceeding by reason of the fact that the person was a director if (i) the person acted in good faith, (ii) the person reasonably believed the conduct (a) in the case of conduct in the person's official capacity with the corporation, was in the corporation's best interests and (b) in all other cases, that the person's conduct was at least not opposed to the corporation's best interests and (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the person had no reasonable cause to believe that such conduct was unlawful, against reasonable expenses and amounts actually incurred by the person in connection with the proceeding; except that if the proceeding was by or in the right of the corporation, indemnification may be made only against such reasonable expenses and must not be made in any proceeding in which the person has been adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Further pursuant to Section 53-11-4.1(I) of NMBCA, unless limited by the articles of incorporation, an officer of the corporation must be indemnified to the same extent as a director, and a corporation has the power to indemnify an officer, employee or agent, who is or was not a director to such further extent as provided by articles of incorporation, bylaws, general or specific action of the board of directors or contract.
The articles of incorporation and bylaws of Warren E&P, Inc. provide that its officers and directors shall be indemnified by the corporation to the fullest extent permitted by applicable New Mexico law, including against any liability and expenses actually incurred by him in connection with the defense of any action, suit or proceeding in which he is made a party by reason of being or having been and
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officer or director, except in relation to matters as to which he shall be adjudged in such action, suit or proceeding to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to the corporation.
Warren Resources of California, Inc.
Warren Resources of California, Inc. is incorporated under the laws of the state of California. Pursuant to Section 317 of the California General Corporation Law (the "CGCL"), a California corporation may indemnify any person who is or was a party to any proceeding (other than a derivative action) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or other agent of the corporation, against expenses and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the proceeding if that person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the corporation and, in the case of a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the conduct was unlawful. In addition, a California corporation may also indemnify any person who is or was a party to any proceeding by or in the right of the corporation by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or other agent of the corporation, against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by that person in connection with the proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person believed to be in the best interests of the corporation and the shareholders. Section 317 of the CGCL requires court approval before payment of any expenses to a person that has been adjudged liable to the corporation. Additionally, a California corporation must indemnify directors, officers, employees and agents of the corporation against expenses if such person is successful on the merits or in defense of any proceeding referred to above.
The articles of incorporation of Warren Resources of California, Inc. provides that the liabilities of the directors of the corporation for monetary damages shall be eliminated to the fullest extent permissible under California law. In addition, the articles of incorporation permit further indemnification of directors, officers, employees and agents of the corporation for a breach of duty to the corporation and its stockholders, subject to certain exceptions.
Warren Marcellus LLC (Delaware)
Warren Marcellus LLC is organized in Delaware. Section 18-108 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act provides that, subject to the standards and restrictions, if any, as are set forth in its limited liability company agreement, a Delaware limited liability company may, and shall have the power to, indemnify and hold harmless any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever. The company agreement of Warren Marcellus LLC provides for the indemnification of its managers to the fullest extent permitted by law, including, but not limited to, indemnification of a manager for judgments, settlements, penalties, fines or expenses (including attorney's fees) incurred in any proceeding because such manager is or was a manager of Warren Marcellus LLC.
Item 21. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
- (a)
- The following documents are filed as exhibits to this Registration Statement, including those exhibits incorporated herein by reference to a prior filing of Warren Resources under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act as indicated in parentheses:
| | | |
Exhibit Number | | Exhibit Title |
---|
| 3.1 | | Charter of Warren Resources, Inc. filed May 20, 2004 (Maryland) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on March 17, 2005). |
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| | | |
Exhibit Number | | Exhibit Title |
---|
| 3.2 | | Bylaws of the Warren Resources, Inc., dated June 2, 2004 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.6 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 16, 2004). |
| 3.3 | | Articles Supplementary (Series A 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock ($.0001 Par Value) (Maryland) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 16, 2004). |
| 3.4 | | Articles Supplementary (Series A Institutional 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock ($.0001 Par Value) (Maryland) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 16, 2004). |
| 3.5 | | Certificate of Correction to Articles Supplementary (Series A 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock) (Maryland) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 16, 2004). |
| 3.6 | | Certificate of Correction to Articles Supplementary (Series A Institutional 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock) (Maryland) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.5 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 16, 2004). |
| 3.7 | | Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of Warren Resources, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to the Company's Definitive Proxy Statement on Form DEF 14-A filed on April 24, 2014). |
| 4.1 | | Specimen Stock Certificate for Common Stock (Maryland) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on March 17, 2005). |
| 4.2 | | Form of Registration Rights Agreement made as of December 12, 2002, by and between Warren Resources and the Investors in the Series A 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on December 17, 2002). |
| 4.3 | | Indenture, dated as of August 11, 2014, by and between Warren Resources, Inc., Certain Subsidiaries of Warren Resources, Inc., as Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed August 12, 2014). |
| 4.4 | | Form of 9.00% Senior Notes due 2022 (included in Exhibit 4.3) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed August 12, 2014). |
| 4.5 | | Form of Registration Rights Agreement made as of August 11, 2014, by and between Warren Resources and the Purchasers of Common Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed August 12, 2014). |
| 4.6 | | Registration Rights Agreement made as of August 11, 2014, by and between Warren Resources and the Initial Purchasers of the 9.00% Senior Notes due 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed August 12, 2014). |
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| | | |
Exhibit Number | | Exhibit Title |
---|
| 5.1 | * | Opinion of Thompson & Knight LLP. |
| 5.2 | * | Opinion of Venable LLP. |
| 5.3 | * | Opinion of Hanna and Morton LLP. |
| 5.4 | * | Opinion of Ellis G. Vickers. |
| 12.1 | * | Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges. |
| 23.1 | * | Consent of Grant Thornton LLP. |
| 23.2 | * | Consent of Richey May & Co., Independent Accounting Firm. |
| 23.3 | * | Consent of Hogan Taylor LLP, Independent Auditor. |
| 23.4 | * | Consent of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. |
| 23.5 | * | Consent of Thompson & Knight LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) |
| 23.6 | * | Consent of Venable LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2). |
| 23.7 | * | Consent of Hanna and Morton LLP (included in Exhibit 5.3). |
| 23.8 | * | Consent of Ellis G. Vickers (included in Exhibit 5.4). |
| 24.1 | * | Powers of Attorney (included on the signature pages attached hereto). |
| 25.1 | * | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of U.S. Bank National Association to act as trustee under the Indenture. |
| 99.1 | | Report of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc., Independent Petroleum Engineer (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed March 11, 2015). |
| 99.2 | | Historical Financial Information of Citrus Energy Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.3 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 12, 2014). |
| 99.3 | | Historical Financial Information of TLK Partners LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.4 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 12, 2014). |
- (b)
- Financial Statement Schedules.
Schedules are omitted because they either are not required or are not applicable or because equivalent information has been incorporated by reference herein.
Item 22. Undertakings.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrants, we have been advised that, in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by any registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of a registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, such registrant
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will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Each registrant hereby undertakes:
(a) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to:
(i) include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
(ii) reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement; notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; and
(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement, or any material change to such information in this registration statement.
(b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered that remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(d) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser, if such registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
(e) That, for the purpose of determining liability of such registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, in a primary offering of securities of such registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrants relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
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(ii) any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of such registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrants;
(iii) the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrants or their securities provided by or on behalf of such registrant; and
(iv) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by such registrant to the purchaser.
(f) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of a registrant annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(g) To deliver or cause to be delivered with the prospectus, to each person to whom the prospectus is sent or given, the latest annual report to security holders that is incorporated by reference in the prospectus and furnished pursuant to, and meeting the requirements of, Rule 14a-3 or Rule 14c-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and, where interim financial information required to be presented by Article 3 of Regulation S-X is not set forth in the prospectus, to deliver, or cause to be delivered to each person to whom the prospectus is sent or given, the latest quarterly report that is specifically incorporated by reference in the prospectus to provide such interim financial information.
(h) To respond to requests for information that are incorporated by reference into the prospectus pursuant to Items 4, 10(b), 11 or 13 of Form S-4, within one business day of receipt of such request, and to send the incorporated documents by first class mail or other equally prompt means. This includes information contained in documents filed subsequent to the effective date of the registration statement through the date of responding to the request.
(i) To supply by means of a post-effective amendment all information concerning a transaction, and the company being acquired involved therein, that was not the subject of and included in the registration statement when it became effective.
II-7
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York on June 10, 2015.
| | | | |
| | WARREN RESOURCES, INC. |
| | By: | | /s/ LANCE PETERSON
Lance Peterson Interim Chief Executive Officer |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Lance Peterson and Stewart P. Skelly, or either one of them, severally, as his attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place, and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same with all exhibits hereto, and all other documents in connection herewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, and any of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| | | | |
Signature | | Title (Principal Function) | | Date |
---|
| | | | |
/s/ LANCE PETERSON
Lance Peterson | | Interim Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | | June 10, 2015 |
/s/ STEWART P. SKELLY
Stewart P. Skelly | | Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | | June 10, 2015 |
/s/ DOMINICK D'ALLEVA
Dominick D'Alleva | | Director and Interim Chairman of the Board | | June 10, 2015 |
/s/ CHET BORGIDA
Chet Borgida | | Director | | June 10, 2015 |
/s/ ANTHONY COELHO
Anthony Coelho | | Director | | June 10, 2015 |
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| | | | |
Signature | | Title (Principal Function) | | Date |
---|
| | | | |
/s/ LEONARD DECECCHIS
Leonard DeCecchis | | Director | | June 10, 2015 |
/s/ ESPY PRICE
Espy Price | | Director | | June 10, 2015 |
/s/ MARCUS C. ROWLAND
Marcus C. Rowland | | Director | | June 10, 2015 |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York on June 10, 2015.
| | | | |
| | WARREN E&P, INC. WARREN RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA, INC. |
| | By: | | /s/ LANCE PETERSON
Lance Peterson Interim Chief Executive Officer |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Lance Peterson and Stewart P. Skelly, or either one of them, severally, as his attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place, and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same with all exhibits hereto, and all other documents in connection herewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, and any of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| | | | |
Signature | | Title | | Date |
---|
| | | | |
/s/ LANCE PETERSON
Lance Peterson | | Interim Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | | June 10, 2015 |
/s/ STEWART P. SKELLY
Stewart P. Skelly | | Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | | June 10, 2015 |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York on June 10, 2015.
| | | | |
| | WARREN MARCELLUS LLC |
| | By: | | /s/ LANCE PETERSON
Lance Peterson Interim Chief Executive Officer |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Lance Peterson and Stewart P. Skelly, or either one of them, severally, as his attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place, and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same with all exhibits hereto, and all other documents in connection herewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, and any of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| | | | | | | | |
Signature | | Title | | Date |
---|
| | | | | | | | |
/s/ LANCE PETERSON
Lance Peterson | | Interim Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) | | June 10, 2015 |
/s/ STEWART P. SKELLY
Stewart P. Skelly | | Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | | June 10, 2015 |
Warren Resources, Inc. | | Sole Managing Member | | June 10, 2015 |
By: | | /s/ LANCE PETERSON
| | | | |
| | Name: | | Lance Peterson | | | | |
| | Title: | | Interim Chief Executive Officer | | | | |
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
| | | |
Exhibit Number | | Exhibit Title |
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| 3.1 | | Charter of Warren Resources, Inc. filed May 20, 2004 (Maryland) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on March 17, 2005). |
| | | |
| 3.2 | | Bylaws of the Warren Resources, Inc., dated June 2, 2004 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.6 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 16, 2004). |
| | | |
| 3.3 | | Articles Supplementary (Series A 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock ($.0001 Par Value) (Maryland) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 16, 2004). |
| | | |
| 3.4 | | Articles Supplementary (Series A Institutional 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock ($.0001 Par Value) (Maryland) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 16, 2004). |
| | | |
| 3.5 | | Certificate of Correction to Articles Supplementary (Series A 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock) (Maryland) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 16, 2004). |
| | | |
| 3.6 | | Certificate of Correction to Articles Supplementary (Series A Institutional 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock) (Maryland) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.5 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 16, 2004). |
| | | |
| 3.7 | | Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of Warren Resources, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to the Company's Definitive Proxy Statement on Form DEF 14-A filed on April 24, 2014). |
| | | |
| 4.1 | | Specimen Stock Certificate for Common Stock (Maryland) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on March 17, 2005). |
| | | |
| 4.2 | | Form of Registration Rights Agreement made as of December 12, 2002, by and between Warren Resources and the Investors in the Series A 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on December 17, 2002). |
| | | |
| 4.3 | | Indenture, dated as of August 11, 2014, by and between Warren Resources, Inc., Certain Subsidiaries of Warren Resources, Inc., as Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed August 12, 2014). |
| | | |
| 4.4 | | Form of 9.00% Senior Notes due 2022 (included in Exhibit 4.3) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed August 12, 2014). |
| | | |
| 4.5 | | Form of Registration Rights Agreement made as of August 11, 2014, by and between Warren Resources and the Purchasers of Common Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed August 12, 2014). |
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| | | |
Exhibit Number | | Exhibit Title |
---|
| 4.6 | | Registration Rights Agreement made as of August 11, 2014, by and between Warren Resources and the Initial Purchasers of the 9.00% Senior Notes due 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed August 12, 2014). |
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| 5.1 | * | Opinion of Thompson & Knight LLP. |
| | | |
| 5.2 | * | Opinion of Venable LLP. |
| | | |
| 5.3 | * | Opinion of Hanna and Morton LLP. |
| | | |
| 5.4 | * | Opinion of Ellis G. Vickers. |
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| 12.1 | * | Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges. |
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| 23.1 | * | Consent of Grant Thornton LLP. |
| | | |
| 23.2 | * | Consent of Richey May & Co., Independent Accounting Firm. |
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| 23.3 | * | Consent of Hogan Taylor LLP, Independent Auditor. |
| | | |
| 23.4 | * | Consent of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. |
| | | |
| 23.5 | * | Consent of Thompson & Knight LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) |
| | | |
| 23.6 | * | Consent of Venable LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2). |
| | | |
| 23.7 | * | Consent of Hanna and Morton LLP (included in Exhibit 5.3). |
| | | |
| 23.8 | * | Consent of Ellis G. Vickers (included in Exhibit 5.4). |
| | | |
| 24.1 | * | Powers of Attorney (included on the signature pages attached hereto). |
| | | |
| 25.1 | * | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of U.S. Bank National Association to act as trustee under the Indenture. |
| | | |
| 99.1 | | Report of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc., Independent Petroleum Engineer (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed March 11, 2015). |
| | | |
| 99.2 | | Historical Financial Information of Citrus Energy Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.3 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 12, 2014). |
| | | |
| 99.3 | | Historical Financial Information of TLK Partners LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.4 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, Commission File No. 000-33275, filed on August 12, 2014). |